CHARACTERS. 
powers : thus, y", 2 ’', &c. denote unde- 
termined powers of different kinds; mx, 
n y, r z, different multiples or subm\iltiples 
of the quantities x, y, 2 , according as m, n, r, 
are either w'hole numbers or fractions. 
-)- is the sign of the real existence of the 
quantity it stands before, and is called an 
affirmative or positive sign. It is also the 
mark of addition, and is read plus, or more ; 
thus, <i hy or 3 5, implies ti is added to 
b, or 3 added to 5. 
— before a single quantity is the sign of 
negation or negative existence, shewing the 
quantity to which it is prefixed to be less 
than nothing. But between quantities it is 
the sign of subtraction, and is read minus, 
or less ; thus, a — b, or 8 — 4, implies 6 
.subtracted from a, or 8 after 4 has been 
subtracted. 
= is the sign of equality, though Des 
Cartes and some others use this mark xi ; 
thus, a = 6 signifies that a is equal to b. 
Wolfius and some others use the mark = 
for the identity of ratios. 
X is the sign of multiplication, shewing 
tliat the quantities on each side the same 
are to be multiplied by one another, as a X b 
is to be read a multiplied into 6; 4 X 8, the 
product of 4 multiplied into '8. Wolfius and 
others make the sign of multiplication a dot 
between the two factors ; thus, 5 . 4 signi- 
fies the product of 5 and 4. In algebra the 
sign is commonly omitted, and the two 
quantities put together ; thus b d expresses 
the product of h and d. When one or both 
of the factors are compounded of several 
letters, they are distinguished by a line 
drawn over them ; thus, the factum of u -|- h 
— c into d, is wrote d X a-\-b — c. Leib- 
nitz, Wolfius, and othei-s, distinguish the 
compound factors by including them in a 
parenthesis ; thus, (a -|- 6 — c)d. 
is the sign of division ; thus, « -f- 6 de- 
notes the quantity a to be divided by b. In 
algebra the quotient is often expressed like 
a fraction ; thus, ~ denotes the quotient of 
a divided by b. Wolfius makes the sign of 
division two dots ; thus, la : 4 denotes the 
quotient of 12 divided by 4 = S. If either 
the divisor or dividend, or both, be com- 
posed of several letters, for example, a-\-b 
c, instead of writing the quotient like a 
fraction, - Wolfius includes the com- 
V 
pound quantities in a parenthesis; thus, 
(a -f- b) : c. 
is the cliaracter of involution : tUt is the 
character of evolution. 
VOL. II. 
■7 or tr are signs of majority ; thus a "7 
b expresses that a is greater than b, 
V or are signs of minority ; and when 
we would denote that a. is less than b, we 
write a V b, or a~2 b. 
<Ji is the character of similitude used by 
Wolfius, Leibnitz, and others : it js used in 
other authors for the difference between 
two quantities while it is unknown which 
is the greater of the two. 
:: is the mark of geometrical proportion 
disjunct, and is usually placed between two 
pair of equal ratios, as, 3: 6:: 4; 8, shews 
that 3 is to 6 as 4 is to 8. 
the mark of geometrical proportion 
continued, implies the ratio to be still cat;- 
ried on without interruption, as, 2, 4, 8, 
16, 32, 64 -H- are in the same uninterrupted 
proportion. 
vZ is the character of radicality, and 
shew's, according to the index of the power 
that is set over it, or after it, that the square, 
cube, or other root is extracted, or to be 
extracted ; thus, v' 16, or 16, or v' (2) 
16, is the square root of 16, 25, the cube 
root of 25, &c. This character soraethnes 
affects several quantities, distinguished by a 
line drawn over them ; thus, ^ o -)-4 de- 
notes the sum of the square roots of b and d. 
When any term or terms of an equation are 
wanting, they are generally supplied by one 
or more asterisms; thus, in the equation 
^ ^ = Oj the term ±py 
vanishing, is marked witli an asterism, as 
y"-)' —ip^+q- 
Characters used in astrmiomy. 
Characters of the planets 
I? 
Saturn 
0 Sun 
C Moon 
n 
Jupiter 
j Venus 
© Earth. 
3- 
Mars 
^ Mercury 
Of the sighs. 
T 
Aries 
SI Leo 
^ Sagittarius 
« 
Tauius 
nj 2 Virgo 
VJ Capricornus 
n 
Gemini 
Libra 
ax Aquarius 
as 
Cancer 
tl'L Scorpio 
X Pisces. 
Of the aspects. 
or S. Conjunction A Trine 
SS. Semisextile 
Sextile 
Q. Quintile 
□ Quartile 
Td. Tredecile 
Bq. Biquintile 
Vc. Qgiucunx 
g Opposition 
Dragon’s head 
gj Dragon’s tail. 
Of time. 
A. M. ante niei idiem, before tlie sun comes 
upon the meridian. 
L 
