RAY'S NEW HIGHER ALGEBRA. ELEMENTS OF ALGEBRA, FOR COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, AND PRIVATE STUDENTS. BY JOSEPH RAY, M. D., LATE PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS IN WOODWARD COLLEGE. EDITED BY DEL. KEMPER, A. M., PROF. OF MATHEMATICS, HAMDEN SIDNEY Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1866, by SARGent, COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY GANO RAY. RAY'S NEW HIGH. ALG. Printed at KOCT 29 1957 PREFACE. ALGEBRA is justly regarded one of the most interesting and useful branches of education, and an acquaintance with it is now sought by all who advance beyond the more common elements. To those who would know Mathematics, a knowledge not merely of its elementary principles, but also of its higher parts, is essential; while no one can lay claim to that discipline of mind which education confers, who is not familiar with the logic of Algebra. It is both a demonstrative and a practical science—a system of truths and reasoning, from which is derived a collection of Rules that may be used in the solution of an endless variety of problems, not only interesting to the student, but many of which are of the highest possible utility in the arts of life. The object of the present treatise is to present an outline of this science in a brief, clear, and practical form. The aim throughout has been to demonstrate every principle, and to furnish the student the means of understanding clearly the rationale of every process he is required to perform. No effort has been made to simplify subjects by omitting that which is difficult, but rather to present them in such a light as to render their acquisition within the reach of all who will take the pains to study. To fix the principles in the mind of the student, and to show their bearing and utility, great attention has been paid to the preparation of practical exercises. These are intended rather to illustrate the principles of the science, than as difficult problems to torture the ingenuity of the learner, or amuse the already skillful Algebraist. An effort has been made throughout the work to observe a natural and strictly logical connection between the different parts, so that the learner may not be required to rely on a prin |