Mathematical Treasure: John Bonnycastle’s Introduction to Mensuration

Author(s):

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

John Bonnycastle (1751–1821) was a self-educated British mathematics master. He wrote many textbooks, including A Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry in 1782. Here we view images from the fifth edition published in 1798.

Title page for John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

Here are selections from his discussion of conic sections:

Page 86 from John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

Page 87 from John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

Page 88 from John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

Examples of problems:

Page 186 from John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

Page 187 from John Bonnycastle's Introduction to Mensuration and Practical Geometry (5th ed., 1798).

A full digitization of its copy is available from Wellcome Library.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: John Bonnycastle’s Introduction to Mensuration," Convergence (September 2023)

Convergence

Tags:

Elementary Geometry