Mathematical Treasure: Cataneo’s Two Primary Mathematics

Pietro Cataneo (ca. 1510-1574) was an Italian architect; however, his first published book was devoted to mathematics: Le Pratiche delle due prime Matematiche (The Practice of the Two Primary Mathematics) of 1559. These two “mathematics” were arithmetic and geometry. The book became very popular and would serve as a model for later texts.

Here on page 9 begins a discussion of the various algorithms for performing multiplication. Within the scope of arithmetic book topics, this is rather advanced knowledge. Here three algorithms are considered:

• per scapezzo, distributing, separating and multiplying by the parts;
• per crocetta, by the cross; and
• per biricuocolo, in Florence, the name of a pastry that bore a resemblance to the computational configuration.

On page 69 begins a discussion of the right triangle.

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

Index to Mathematical Treasures