This classic study notes the first appearance of a mathematical symbol and its origin, the competition it encountered, its spread among writers in different countries, its rise to popularity, and its eventual decline or ultimate survival. Originally published in 1929 in a two-volume edition, this monumental work is presented here in a single volume.
Mathematics historian Florian Cajori (1859&;1930) taught at Tulane University and Colorado College, as well as at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was appointed to a specially created chair in history of mathematics.