XIV. 



Essay on the Binomial The ore :i as biomn 



to 'the Arabs. 



By J. TYTLER, Esq. 



Communicated hy R. Tytler, M. D, 



TO 



Jr OR a long time it was imagined that the difcovery of the law which 

 determines the coefficients ®f the terms of the powers of a Binomial 

 Root, commonly called the Binomial Theorem, was entirely owing to 

 Sir Isaac Newton. My prefent diftance from books and other sources 

 of information compels me, in proof of this, to refer to fo common 

 a work, as John Ward's Popular Introduftion to Mathematics. He 

 explains the Theorem, in part II. chap. 2 § 5, and concludes with thefe 

 words : " Now from thefe confiderations it was, that I propofed this 

 method of raifmg powers in my Compendium of Algebra, page 51, as 

 wholly new (viz. fo much of it as was there ufeful), having then (I profefsj 

 neither fecn the way of doing it, nor fo much as heard of its bein| 

 done. But, fmce the writing of that tract, I find in Dr. Wallis's 



