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Taylor - Theoretic Arithmetic.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

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THE generation however and origin of these numbers is ob<br />

tained by the following method, which Eratosthenes denominates<br />

a sieve; because all the odd numbers being placed in the<br />

middle bv the art which we shall shortly unfold, those numbers<br />

which are of the first, or second, or third kind are distinguished.<br />

For let all the odd numbers in an orderly series be<br />

disposed from 3, to any extent whatever, viz. 3. 5. 7. 9. 11. 13.<br />

15. 17. 19. 21. 23. 25. 27. 29. 31. 33. 35. 37. 39. 41. 43. 45. 47. 49.<br />

These therefore, being thus disposed, it must be considered<br />

what is the first number of the series which 3 will measure.<br />

And it will be found, that two numbers being omitted, it will<br />

measure that number which immediately follows them, viz. it<br />

will measure 9. If also after 9 two others are omitted, it will<br />

measure the following number 15. Again, if beginning from<br />

15 two numbers are omitted, it will measure the following<br />

number 21. And thus it will be found ad infiniturn, that the<br />

first number 3, by omitting two numbers will measure all the<br />

following numbers posterior to itself, according to the quantity<br />

of the orderly series of odd numbers. But in order to find<br />

the numbers of which 5 the second odd number is the meas<br />

ure, four terms must be omitted, and the number that immediately<br />

follows will be measured by 5. Thus by omitting the<br />

four odd numbers 7.9. 11. 13, the next term will be 15, which<br />

5 measures according to the quantity of the first odd number<br />

3; for the fifth part of 15 is 3. But if after this, the four following<br />

numbers are omitted, viz. 17. 19. 21. 23. the number<br />

five will measure by its plurality the next number 25. And if<br />

after this four numbers are omitted, the same constancy of order<br />

being preserved, 5 will measure 35 which is the next following<br />

number. And this is the infinite procession.<br />

If again, it is inquired what the third number is which may<br />

be measured, six terms must be omitted, and that which is the

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