The Earliest Arithmetics in English

by Unknown

S. Fyrste I wyl set forth this example of Addition where I haue added 2189 to 4988, and the hole summe appereth to be 7177,

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119 a. *Nowe to trye whether that summe be well added or no, I wyll subtract one of the fyrst two summes from the thyrd, and yf I haue well done y^e remayner wyll be lyke that other summe. As for example: I wyll subtracte the fyrste summe from the thyrde, whiche I set thus in theyr order.

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Then do I subtract 2000 of the fyrste summe from y^e second summe, and then remayneth there 5000 thus.

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Then in the thyrd lyne, I subtract y^e 100 of the fyrste summe, from the second summe, where is onely 100 also, and then in y^e thyrde lyne [resteth] nothyng. Then in the second lyne with his space ouer hym, I fynde 80, which I shuld subtract 119 b. *from the other summe, then seyng there are but only 70 I must take it out of some hygher summe, which is here only 5000, therfore I take vp 5000, and seyng that it is to moch by 4920, I sette downe so many in the seconde roume, whiche with the 70 beynge there all redy do make 4990, & then the summes doth stande thus.

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Yet remayneth there in the fyrst summe 9, to be bated from the second summe, where in that place of vnities dothe appere only 7, then I muste bate a hygher summe, that is to saye 10, but seynge that 10 is more then 9 (which I shulde abate) by 1, therfore shall I take vp one counter from the seconde lyne, and set downe the same in the fyrst 120 a. *or lowest lyne, as you se here.

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