The keys figure in 18th century mathematicians,Euler was the son of Lutheran pastor who live ed in the vicinity of Basel, Switzerland. Euler's father earnestly wished him to enter the ministry and sent his son,at the age of 13 ,to the university of Basel to study theology. There the young Euler met Johann Bernoulli-then one of Europe's leading mathematicians-and befriended Bernoulli's two sons,Nikolaus and Denial. Within a short time, Euler broke off the theological studies that had been selected for him to address himself exclusively to mathematicians.He received his master's degree in 1723,and in 1727 at the age of 18,he won a prize from the paris Academy of sciences of a treatise on the most efficient arrangements of ship masts.