Final answer:
Newton wrote the mathematical concepts to prove the elliptical shape of the planets' orbits, building on Kepler's First Law which stated that planetary orbits are ellipses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Isaac Newton wrote the mathematical concepts to prove the elliptical shape of planets' orbits. Kepler's First Law states that the orbits of all planets are ellipses with the Sun at one of the foci. Newton's work built upon this, using the precise data on planetary positions collected by Tycho Brahe, which were integral in Kepler's derivation of his laws of planetary motion. Kepler found that the actual behavior of planets could not be accurately represented by uniform circular motions, leading him to conclude that planetary orbits were indeed elliptical. This understanding was crucial in the history of astronomy as it suggested the universe was more complex than previously thought.