Cournot, Antoine-Augustin

(born Aug. 28, 1801, Gray, France—died March 31, 1877, Paris) French economist and mathematician. The first economist to apply mathematics effectively to the treatment of economic questions, he made important contributions with his discussion of supply and demand functions, the shifting of taxes, and problems of international trade, and he is best remembered for his discussion of strategic behaviour in a market with only two producers, a so-called . His principal work is (1838).

Find more information on Cournot, Antoine-Augustin. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Cournot, Antoine-Augustin.