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Jan de Witt's Elementa Curvarum Linearum, Liber Primus
Text, Translation, Introduction, and Commentary by Albert W. Grootendorst
1 online resource (VIII, 316 pages 149 illustrations)
This book is an English translation of the first textbook on Analytic Geometry, written in Latin by the Dutch statesman and mathematician Jan de Witt soon after Descartes invented the subject. De Witt (1625-1672) is best known for his work in actuarial mathematics ("Calculation of the Values of Annuities as Proportions of the Rents") and for his contributions to analytic geometry, including the focus-directrix definition of conics and the use of the discriminant to distinguish among them. In addition to the translation and annotations, this volume contains an introduction and commentary, including a discussion of the role of conics in Greek mathematics.
I. Dedication -- II. Preface Chapter -- Introduction -- Summary -- Latin Text and Translation -- Annotations to the Translation -- Appendix A: Application of Areas -- Appendix B: The conic sections in Apollonius -- References.
Sources and studies in the history of mathematics and physical sciences