Long description

The figure shows a scan of page 18 of John Gough’s textbook Practical Arithmetick in Four books. The text reads:

Addition

20. Addition is the joining or collecting several numbers into one, or finding a number which shall be equal to any given numbers together.

General Rule

Let the numbers marked A B C, be given to be added.

54327  A

 8062  B

 5041  C

---------

67430

Place the numbers so that each figure may stand directly underneath (or in the same perpendicular row with) the figures of the same value, that is: units under units, tens under tens, hundreds under hundreds, &c.

Then drawing a line under them; begin the Addition at the first place (or units) and add together all the figures in that place, and if their sum be under ten, set it down below the line underneath its own place; but if their sum be more than ten, set down only the overplus above the ten (or tens) and so many tens as the sum of these units amount to, carry to the place of tens, adding them and the figures which stand in the place of tens together; then proceed in the same manner to the third place or hundreds, and so from place to place to the last, and set down the whole sum of the last place.