Which mathematician introduced the equals sign to the mathematical community?

The equals sign, represented as "=", was introduced to the mathematical community by Robert Recorde in the 16th century. He proposed this symbol in his book, "The Whetstone of Witte," published in 1557. Recorde chose the equals sign because he believed that no two things could be more equal than parallel lines, which he used to depict equality. This innovation was significant as it provided a clear and concise way to express the concept of equality in mathematical expressions, which greatly aided in the development of modern algebra and arithmetic.

The other mathematicians listed made significant contributions to various fields, such as calculus, complex analysis, and mathematical logic, but they did not have a role in introducing the equals sign to mathematics.