Excerpt from An Introduction to Algebra: Being the First Part of a Course of Mathematics, Adapted to the Method of Instruction in the American Colleges In the selection of materials, those articles have been taken which have a practical application, and which are prepara tory to succeeding parts of the mathematics, philosophy, and astronom The 0 jcet has not been to introduce original Matter. In the mathematics, which have been cultivated with success from the da 8 of Pythagoras, and in which the principles already established are sufficient to occupy the most active mind for years, the parts to which the student ought first to attend, are not those recent] discovered. Free use has been made of the works of ewton, Maclaurin, Saunderson, Simpson, Euler, Emerson, Lacroix, and others, but in a way that rendered it inconvenient to refer to them, in particular instances. The proper field for the display of mathematical genius, is in the region of invention. But what is requisite for an elementary work, is to collect, arrange and illustrate, materials already provided. However humble this employment, he ought patiently to submit to it, Whose object is to instruct, not those who have made considerable progress in the mathematics, but those who are just commencing the study. Original discoveries are not for the benefit of begin ners, though they may be of great importance to the advance ment of science. The arrangement of the parts is such, that the explanation of one is not made to depend on another which is to follow. In the statement of general rules, if they are reduced to a small number, their applications to particular cases ma not, always, be readily understood. On the other hand. Ily they are very numerous, they become tedious and burdensome to the memory. The rules Degreesven in this introduction, are most of them comprehensive; ut they are explained and applied, in subordinate articles. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.