Arithmetica Universalis
by Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Issac Newton (1642-1727) was a philosopher and mathematician who did not begin his educational studies immediately due to the need to help his mother raise his half sibilings. In 1661, Newton arrived in Cambridge to attend Trinity College, and entered as a sub-sizar where he performed menial tasks in order to stay enrolled and pay for his education. The ‘Quaestions quaedam’ launched Newton’s career into science.[1]
Newton did not begin to make his mathematical tracts available until after 1704. The manuscripts were originally made available to acolytes, who copied and translated them. However, many times, this ended up with Newton’s original theories being badly mutilated. It was due to the eventual increase in funding of scientific academies that Newtown finally allowed his works to go into print.[2] However, Newton maintained a scribe and public lecture mentality and most of his works did not go into print until after his death.
Based on lecture notes by Newton from the period 1673 to 1683, Arithmetica Universalis was first printed in Latin in Cambridge in 1707. In this work, Newton covers the essentials of algebra: notation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, extraction of roots, reduction of fractions, reduction of geometrical questions to equations, and resolution of equations. In addition, Newton extended Descartes' rule of signs to imaginary roots. He also formulated a rule to determine the number of imaginary roots of any equation.
Bibliographic Information
Author: Sir Isaac Newton.
Title: Arithmetica Universalis: Sive De Compositione Et Resolutione Arithmetica Liber.
Published: Londini: Benji & Sam. Tooke, 1722.
Edition: Editio secunda, in qua multa immutantur & emendantur, nonnulla adduntur; 332 pages.
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Bound in contemporary paneled calf, expertly rebacked with red morocco label. Purchased from Ted Steinbock.
View this book in William & Mary's online catalog.
References
- ↑ Richard S. Westfall, "Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727)" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed October 3, 2013.
- ↑ Niccolo Guicciardini. "Issac Newton and the Publication of His Mathematical Manuscripts," Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, Part A 35, no. 3 (2004): 455-470.
