Following a short period at the Royal Frederick University, which included a stint as assistant to Christopher Hansteen, Holmboe was hired as a mathematics teacher at the Christiania Cathedral School in 1818, where he met the future renowned mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.

Holmboe's significant impact on mathematics in the fledgling Norway was his textbook in two volumes for secondary schools.

It was widely used, but faced competition from Christopher Hansteen's alternative offering, sparking what may have been Norway's first debate about school textbooks.

He grew up in Eidsberg with his nine siblings, and was the elder brother of noted philologist Christopher Andreas Holmboe.

Holmboe was homeschooled from an early age, but was sent to the Christiania Cathedral School in 1810 to complete his secondary education.

[3] Holmboe quickly discovered Abel's talent, and proclaimed him as a "splendid genius" in his report card.

[quote 1][5] The school's primary focus was on classical education and Latin, and so Holmboe tutored Abel privately.

Abel was invited to the Holmboe family residence in Eidsberg on several occasions, including to celebrate Christmas.

He used his own teaching experience as the background for his writing; mainly abstract, the purpose of the books was to instill logical thinking.

[6] Holmboe also taught mathematics at a military college, from 1826 until his death, and was promoted to professor at the Royal Frederick University in 1834.

From 1832 to 1848 he was a member of Tilsynskomiteen for private forsørgelses- og understøttelsesselskaper, the country's first public committee for the supervision of insurance companies.

On the other side of the table, from 1847 Holmboe was a member of the board of directors of the insurance company Gjensidige, founded by his former student Ole Jacob Broch.

[3] A Bernt Michael Holmboe Memorial Prize for teachers of mathematics was established in 2005, and is awarded annually.