THE 237 1 ELEMENTARY ARITHMETIC: EMBRACING A COURSE OF EASY AND PROGRESSIVE EXERCISES IN DESIGNED FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND PRIMARY CLASSES IN COMMON SCHOOLS, REVISED EDITION. BY EDWARD BROOKS, A. M., PH. D., SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA; LATE PRINCIPAL OF STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, PENNSYLVANIA, AND AUTHOR OF THE OF ARITHMETIC, METHODS OF TEACHING, MENTAL SCIENCE AND CULTURE, ETC. "The highest science is the greatest simplicity.' ' PHILADELPHIA: CHRISTOPHER SOWER CO., 614 ARCH STREET. 1893. 615033 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by EDWARD BROOKS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern Copyright, 1888, by EDWARD BROOKS. PREFACE. THE object of this work is to furnish young pupils with an introductory course of Written Arithmetic. It is designed as a steppingstone from the course in primary arithmetic, whether given orally or by use of a text-book, to a complete course in written arithmetic. It is also especially adapted to furnish a complete elementary course in arithmetic for pupils whose time for the study is limited to a very brief course. The work will be found to possess at least five distinguishing features: 1st, Simplicity; 2d, Gradation; 3d, Practical Character of the Problems; 4th, Variety of Problems; 5th, Educational Cha racter. SIMPLICITY.-Great care has been taken to make the definitions, explanations, solutions, rules, etc. so simple that the youngest pupils can easily understand them. In doing this, however, the scientific character of the subject has not been sacrificed; for it should ever be remembered that the highest science is the greatest simplicity; and, conversely, the greatest simplicity is the highest science. GRADATION.-The gradation of the work will be found one of its most distinctive and valuable features. Great pains have been taken to avoid those sudden transitions from the easy to the difficult for which elementary works are so often criticised. As an example of this feature, see the exercises in Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division, where the problems are arranged into classes and cases with respect to their length and difficulty. The same spirit of gradation will be found running through the whole work. PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.-Arithmetics have been criticised for the abstract and unpractical character of their problems. To avoid this error, I have given a large number of practical problems, drawn from the actual events of life. Among these are Historical, Geographical, and Biographical problems; problems on the battles of the Revolution; farmers', merchants', etc. problems. Such prob lems not only will add interest to the study of arithmetic, but will present much valuable information to the pupil. 9 1 |