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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'A short account of negativo-affirmative arithmetick' by John Colson

Reference number: CLP/1/9

Date: 1726

Description

Colson proposes a new method of notation in arithmetic in order to shorten and facilitate operations in long calculations, especially in numbers expressed by higher digits.

Subject: Mathematics

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'A short account of negativo-affirmative arithmetick'.

Read to the Royal Society on 17 November 1726.

Reference number
CLP/1/9
Earliest possible date
1726
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
12 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

John Colson

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Citation

John Colson, Paper, 'A short account of negativo-affirmative arithmetick' by John Colson, 1726, CLP/1/9, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_1_9/paper-a-short-account-of-negativo-affirmative-arithmetick-by-john-colson, accessed on 09 February 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_1_9/paper-a-short-account-of-negativo-affirmative-arithmetick-by-john-colson

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  • Classified Papers

    Dates: 1592-1741

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

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