Sally Brown math exercise book

Content Description

This collection contains a mathematics exercise book belonging to Sally Brown, dated 1786 to 1787. The exercises focus on goods, finances, and currency exchange calculations. Details on Sally Brown, whose name or initials appear three times in the manuscript, are scant. However, it can be inferred that her education took place around Philadelphia or New York because of the focus on the exchanges of their regional currencies. In these cities, mathematics instructors heavily focused on currency exchange rates from shillings, pence, farthings, etc. Most of the text and tables are from Thomas Dilworth's "The Schoolmaster's Assistant: Being a Compendium of Arithmetic both Practical and Theoretical," the first US edition published in 1769. However, at least some word problems were created by Sally's instructor. The math calculated within the book would have practical utilization, such as in a general store or grocery market. For example, one calculation focuses on amounts of gallons of molasses, rum, and beer. Another had Sally calculate how many belt buckles and buttons could be made from a limited supply of silver.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased from Type Punch Matrix, 18 July 2023.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No