Mathematical Treasure: John Collins on ‘Defects in Algebra’

John Collins (1625-1683) was an English mathematician, a teacher of mathematics in London, and a writer of books on applied mathematics. He was an active correspondent with the prominent mathematicians of his day, a pastime that earned him the nickname the “English Mersenne.” An entry in the 1684 Philosophical Transactions that begins at the bottom of page 38 directly below gave Collins' correspondence with John Wallis on “some Defects in Algebra.”

This material was obtained through the courtesy of the Peabody Library of Johns Hopkins University.

Index to Mathematical Treasures