Comic Arithmetic

Percival LeighProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 137K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Comic Arithmetic by Percival LeighAuthor: Leigh, Percival, 1813-1889,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 28, 2014

Editor's review

This is a delightfully original English book of mathematical amusements, setting arithmetic within a comic, playful narrative that makes otherwise dry rules of calculation easy and enjoyable to read. The author, Percival Leigh, was a nineteenth-century English writer, and the book handles numbers, computation, and everyday arithmetic problems in a humorous tone, combining entertainment with instruction. Its value lies not in systematic mathematical teaching but in dispelling readers' fear of arithmetic through jokes and pictorial language, letting them rediscover the fun of numbers with a knowing smile. As a public-domain ebook, it is short and its language bears some traces of its era, making it suitable as light material combining English reading with mathematical culture. It can be dipped into on a commute or shared with children by selecting the amusing passages. For English readers it is both language practice and a sample of Victorian popular writing; for Chinese readers it is better suited as a reference for understanding early recreational mathematics writing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in recreational mathematics who want an easy introduction to arithmetic topics
Intermediate English learners seeking light English reading material for language practice
Enthusiasts of the history of popular mathematics and Victorian popular publishing
Parents and teachers looking for lighthearted arithmetic inspiration for children

Not a good fit for

Students needing systematic arithmetic or mathematics textbooks
Readers expecting rigorous mathematical proofs and exercise drills
Readers uncomfortable with nineteenth-century English expression and humor

Reading tips

Read through the table of contents first, then pick arithmetic topics of interest and read in sections rather than in order.
Skip old-fashioned expressions or slang at first, grasp the overall fun, then return to the details.
When reading with children, pick out the worked examples and let them calculate first, then read the author's joking explanation.
After finishing, compare with modern recreational mathematics books to see how popular science writing differs across eras.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a mathematics textbook?

No. It is closer to a recreational book on arithmetic, discussing numbers and calculation in a humorous, comic style. It does not teach mathematics systematically and has no exercises, so it suits casual reading rather than study.

Can I read it if my English is only average?

The language has a nineteenth-century English flavor, and some expressions are distant from modern English. Intermediate readers can read in sections with a dictionary, focusing on the fun rather than parsing every word; beginners may find it difficult.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes, but parents or teachers should help select passages. Some worked examples and jokes can spark children's interest in numbers, though the old-fashioned expressions and historical background need adult explanation.

Why recommend this public-domain ebook?

It is short and free, combines arithmetic with humor, and is a light sample of nineteenth-century popular mathematics writing. It also works as material combining light English reading with mathematical culture.

Comments

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About the author

Percival Leigh Author · British · 1813–1889

Percival Leigh (1813–1889) was a British satirist and humorist. Born in Haddington, Scotland, he studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. He was known for treating serious subjects of instruction in a playful manner: in 1840 he co-authored The Comic Latin Grammar and The Comic English Grammar with John Leech, turning grammatical rules into comedy, and he also wrote Comic Arithmetic and Jack the Giant Killer. The following year he became one of the founding contributors to Punch, and was the last surviving member of its early contributors. Public information is limited, but his works show a distinctive style that combines educational content with comic humour.