Final answer:
Thomas Young was the scientist who proposed a mathematical solution evidencing the wave nature of light, particularly through his double-slit experiment conducted in 1801.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientist who proposed a mathematical solution for the wave nature of light is Thomas Young. Despite Christiaan Huygens's earlier wave theory, it was Young's double-slit experiment in 1801 that provided compelling evidence supporting the wave nature of light. Prior to Young's contribution, Isaac Newton's corpuscular theory of light was the predominant view, largely due to Newton's influence in the scientific community. Young's interference experiment conclusively demonstrated the capability of light to produce interference patterns, a phenomenon that is characteristic of waves, which served as strong evidence against the corpuscular theory.