RUDIMENTS OF ALGEBRA BY GEORGE EGBERT FISHER, M.A., PH.D. AND ISAAC J. SCHWATT, PH.D. ASSISTANT PROFESSORS OF MATHEMATICS IN THE New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD. 1902 All rights reserved Fane 1, 129.07.294 May 1, 1903. TRANSFERRED TO HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY FISHER AND SCHWATT. First published elsewhere. Reprinted July, 1902. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass U.S.A. PREFACE. THIS book gives a brief course in the elementary processes of algebra. Great care has been given to the representation, and to the solutions of typical exercises in the text, inculcating a thorough knowledge of algebraic processes. Each principle or method is first clearly illustrated by numerous simple examples. But it is nowhere assumed that the principles are thereby proved. Even a beginner should not be encouraged, by text-book or teacher, to accept an illustrative example as a proof, or he will lose much of the educational value of the study. Nearly all of the exercises have been prepared expressly for this book. They have been carefully graded, and, it is believed, none of them are too difficult for the average beginner. The introductory chapter extends the familiar processes of arithmetic to the corresponding processes of algebra. The pupil is led by simple exercises, similar to those in arithmetic, to understand the use of letters to represent general and unknown numbers. Negative numbers are naturally introduced in connection with the extension of subtraction of arithmetical numbers. The meaning and use of positive and negative numbers, in the fundamental operations, are properly emphasized. Equations and problems are distributed throughout the The importance of equivalent equations is not over book. |