Title page of the Arithmetica, published 1707

The English translation by Raphson was published in 1720

The Arithmetica Universalis was a mathematics text written by Isaac Newton. It was published and edited by William Whiston, Newton's successor as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics in Cambridge University. The Arithmetica was based on Newton's lecture notes. Image File history File links Arithmetica. ... Image File history File links Arithmetica. ... Image File history File links UniversalArithmetick. ... Image File history File links UniversalArithmetick. ... Euclid, detail from The School of Athens by Raphael. ... Sir Isaac Newton, PRS, (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, inventor, and natural philosopher who is generally regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history. ... William Whiston William Whiston (December 9, 1667 - August 22, 1752), English divine and mathematician, was born at Norton in Leicestershire, of which village his father was rector. ... The incumbent of the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics, the Lucasian professor is the holder of a mathematical professorship at Cambridge University. ... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ...

Whiston's original edition was published in text in 1707. It was translated into English by Joseph Raphson who published it in 1720 as the Universal Arithmetick. John Machin published a second Latin edition in 1722. Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal April 25 - Allied army is defeated by Bourbonic army at Almansa (Spain) in the War of the Spanish Succession. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... // Events January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace. ... John Machin, (1680—June 9, 1751), a professor of astronomy in London, is best known for developing a quickly converging series for π in 1706 and using it to compute π to 100 decimal places. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... // Events Abraham De Moivre states De Moivres theorem connecting trigonometric functions and complex numbers Publication of the first book of Bachs Well-Tempered Clavier Fall of Persias Safavid dynasty during a bloody revolt of the Afghani people. ...

None of these editions credits Newton as author; Newton was unhappy with the publication of the Arithmetica, and so refused to have his name appear. In fact, when Whiston's edition was published, Newton was so upset he considered purchasing all of the copies so he could destroy them.

The Arithmetica touches on algebraic notation, arithmetic, the relationship between geometry and algebra, and the solution of equations. Newton also applied Descartes’ rule of signs to imaginary roots. He also offered, without proof, a rule to determine the number of imaginary roots of polynomial equations. Not for another 150 years would a rigorous proof to Newton's counting formula be found (by James Joseph Sylvester, published in 1865). Table of Geometry, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Algebra is the current mathematics collaboration of the week! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... René Descartes René Descartes (IPA: , March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650), also known as Cartesius, worked as a philosopher and mathematician. ... Descartes rule of signs, first described by René Descartes in his work La Geometrie, is a technique for determining the number of positive or negative roots of a polynomial. ... In mathematics, an imaginary number (or purely imaginary number) is a complex number whose square is negative or zero. ... James Joseph Sylvester James Joseph Sylvester (September 3, 1814 London - March 15, 1897 Oxford) was an English mathematician. ...

References

• The Arithmetica Universalis from MIT's Burndy Library- includes links to pdfs of english and latin versions of the Arithmetica
• Centre College Library information on Newton's works