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Sketch of the History of Mathematics in Scotland to the end of the 18th Century: Part I.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

G. A. Gibson
Affiliation:
Foundation of the Universities.
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Extract

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In the short sketch which I propose to give of the History of Mathematics in Scotland up to the end of the 18th century I must limit myself mainly to the work of the Universities. An adequate treatment of the subject would involve considerations of a general educational character that would range over the relations of the school to the University, the distribution of the various subjects of study and the place of mathematics in the educational system; but it is, of course, impossible to undertake such an extensive investigation at present, though it seems to me that an investigation, with special reference to mathematics, is greatly needed and might form the subject of a research that would be of real value as a contribution to the development of educational ideas. It would be improper, however, to omit all reference to school mathematics, since the school conditions determine, to a considerable extent, those of the University, as current discussions in Scotland clearly show, even though a sound appreciation of the relations between school and University may at times be lacking.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Edinburgh Mathematical Society 1927

References

page 10 note 1 In the Constructio the name “Artificial Number” is used instead of “logarithm.”

page 17 note 2 The general Binomial Theorem

was first published in Wallis's Algebra (1685).

page 18 note 3 Further investigation has convinced me that the attribution to Gregory is incorrect (the suggestion, it should be said, was not Simson's) and that Maclaurin is the author or source.