William Oughtred: A Great Seventeenth-Century Teacher of Mathematics

"William Oughtred: A Great Seventeenth-Century Teacher of Mathematics" by Florian Cajori is a historical presentation from the early 1900s that examines the life and achievements of William Oughtred, a vital but often unrecognized character in math history. The presentation emphasizes Oughtred’s role as a teacher, the inventor of the slide rule, and an author of math texts, within the setting of 17th-century England. The account begins with Oughtred's education at Eton and Cambridge, explores his love for math as a dedicated pursuit in addition to his church responsibilities, and emphasizes his early developments, such as work on sun-dials, and his design of algebraic symbols. It introduces Oughtred as someone who boosted math thinking through his work as a writer and instructor but also experienced trials and disagreements, specifically related to his contributions to mathematical inventions. Overall, the beginning prepares for a review of Oughtred's efforts and mathematical contributions.