THIRD EDITION OF JOSEPH-LOUIS LAGRANGE'S TRAITÉ DE LA RÉSOLUTION DES ÉQUATIONS NUMÉRIQUES, 1826

(LAGRANGE, Joseph-Louis. Traité de la Résolution des Équations Numériques des tous les Degrés, avec des Notes sur Plusieurs Points de la Théorie des Équations Algébriques. Paris: Bachelier, 1826. Quarto, 20th-century half brown calf. $650.

Third edition of this mathematical treatise focusing on algebraic equations, including the history of algebraic theory.

Originally published in 1798, this work was revised and expanded in 1808 and, again, for this third edition of 1826. "The title can be translated as A Treatise on the solution of numerical equations of all degrees, indicating that the book deals with numerical solutions to equations. However, exact solutions to polynomial equations were also discussed, including a summary of Lagrange’s groundbreaking 1770 paper 'Réflexions sur la résolution algébrique des équations' (published in the memoirs of the Berlin Academy of Sciences), which noted historian Israel Kleiner called one of the 'four major sources in the evolution of group theory'" (Mathematical Association of America). Perhaps the most important aspect of this work is the Notes section. "In the Notes, which constitute two-thirds of the book, Lagrange analyzed the historical development of various topics, including methods of approximation, interpolation, and the fundamental theorem of algebra" (Dauben & Scriba, 73).

Mild embrowning and occasional faint dampstaining to interior, light rubbing and slight soiling to binding. An extremely good copy.