Known for his advances in mathematical mechanics, Alexsandr Mikhailovich Lyapunov is credited in particular with introducing ways to determine the stability of sets of regular . He is remembered today through his highly regarded academic books and the Lyapunov function for differential equations.

Born into a family of distinguished academics and artists in Yaroslavl, Russia on June 6, 1857, Lyapunov (some sources say "Liapunov") was the son of an astronomer. He was educated at home for the first part of his boyhood and then took lessons from an uncle. In 1870, Lyapunov moved with his mother and other siblings to Nizhny, Novgorod (now Gorky), where he began attending the Gymnasium. He graduated from that school in 1876, then enrolling at St. Petersburg University as a physics and math student under .

After earning his degree at the university in 1880, Lyapunov decided to heed the encouragement of his professors and stayed on as a member...