Of Mathematical Notations: A History

The work is divided into two primary volumes (often bound together in modern editions from Dover Publications ):

: Symbols rarely gained immediate acceptance. Cajori documents the "competition" between rival notations—such as the various ways to denote multiplication—before one eventually became the standard. A History of Mathematical Notations

If you find Cajori’s dense, century-old academic prose difficult, these modern alternatives offer a more accessible narrative: The work is divided into two primary volumes

– Covers number systems (Babylonian, Egyptian, etc.), arithmetic symbols ( −negative ), and elementary geometry. century-old academic prose difficult