John S. Major arithmetic book(1800–1803)

• MS 1992.2
• 1 vol. ([396] pp.)

Ciphering book of John Sleet Major of Culpeper County, Virginia. Includes questions and answers, exercises, examples, case or story questions, and a multiplication table. Major’s tutors were Gilbert Christian and Edward Wall. Includes several personal comments and signatures. Lessons worked on range from elementary addition to more complex banking and mercantile concepts. Lessons include addition and subtraction of dry measure, wine measure, cloth measure, time, motion and apothecaries weight; compound multiplication; short, simple, long and compound division; reduction in money; tare and tret, rule of three; simple and compound interest; brokerage; rebate or discount; equation of payments; barter; loss & gain; simple and compound fellowship; exchange (with some examples of bill of exchange with European firms); comparison of weights and measures; media and alternate alligation; comparative arithmetic; arithmetical progression; geometrical progression; vulgar fractions; decimal fractions; square roots; the cube; biquadrate; sursolid; annuities or pensions in arrears and other subjects.

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