Complete Algebra to Accompany Ray's Series of Mathematics

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. This work was commenced sixteen years ago at the earnest solicitation of numerous teachers, who were dissatisfied with the textbooks then in use. That they were not alone in their opinion is evidenced by the number of new treatises, or revisions of old ones, printed since that time, and now used in the schools of this country. The crudeness of even the best Algebras of a quarter-century ago was mainly owing to the fact that, as a rule, mathematicians neglected the elementary branches for the more attractive fields of Higher and Applied Mathematics; hence blunders and inconsistencies were allowed which otherwise would not have been tolerated. The wonderful progress made in the Natural Sciences, and the extended use of Algebra in the treatment of Geometrical Magnitudes, have finally called the attention of educators to the necessity of improving the elementary treatises, and more rigidly limiting the meaning of the signs. That this agitation comes none too soon is evident to every thoughtful teacher, and can be readily seen by any one who compares the various text-books used in our schools.