as their workes doe extende) to distincte it onely into twoo partes.

Whereof the firste is, when one nomber is equalle vnto one other. And the
seconde is, when one nomber is compared as equalle vnto .2. other nombers.

Alwaies willyng you to remêber, that you reduce your nombers, to their
leaste denominations, and smalleste formes, before you procede any
farther.

And again, if your equation be soche, that the greateste denomination

Coßike, be ioined to any parte of a compounde nomber, you shall tourne
it so, that the nomber of the greateste signe alone, maie stande as
equalle to the reste.

And this is all that neadeth to be taughte, concernyng this woorke.

Howbeit, for easie alteratiô of equations. I will propounde a fewe

exâples, bicause the extraction of their rootes, maie the more aptly bee
wroughte. And to auoide the tediouse repetition of these woordes: is
equalle to: I will sette as I doe often in woorke vse, a paire of paralleles,
or Gemowe lines of one lengthe, thus: ====, bicause noe .2. thynges,
can be moare equalle. And now marke these nombers.

1. 14.x. + .15.p = 71.x.

2. 20.x. − .18.p = .102.p.

3. 26.z + 10x = 9.z − 10x + 213.p.

4. 19.x + 192.p = 10z + 108p − 19x

5. 18.x + 24.p. = 8.z. + 2.x.

6. 34z − 12x = 40x + 480p − 9.z

1. In the firste there appeareth .2. nombers, that is 14.x.+15.p. equalle to
one nomber, whiche is 71.p. But if you marke them well, you maie see
one denominatiô, on bothe sides of the equation, which neuer ought to
stand. Wherfore abating the lesser, that is .15.p. out of bothe the
nombers, there will remain. 14.x=56.p. that is, by reduction, 1x=4.p.

Scholar. I see, you abate .15.p. from them bothe. And then are thei
equalle still, seyng thei wer equalle before. Accordyng to the thirde
common sentence, in the patthewaie:

If you abate euen portions, from thynges that bee equalle, the partes that
remain shall be equall also.

Master. You doe well remêber, the firste groundes of this arte. For all
springeth of those principles Geometricalle. Wherfore call to your minde
likewaies the secende common sentence, in the same booke, and then
haue you another reason, whiche will helpe you not onely, in the other
formes of woorke here, but also very often in the practise of this arte.

Scholar. That is this.

If you adde equalle portions, to thynges that bee equalle, what so amounteth of
them shall be equalle.

Master. These twoo sentences doe instructe you that when you see on
bothe the sides of the equation, any one denominatiô Coßike, you shall
marke the signe that is annexed to the lesser of them bothe; and if it be
the signe of addition .+. then shall you abate that lesser nomber, from
bothe the partes of the equation. As I did in this firste example. But if the
signe be of abatemente −, then shall you adde that lesser nôber, to bothe
partes. And so shall you doe, till there be noe one denomination on
bothe partes, but diuerse and distincte.

2. So the seconde nomber will be .20.x=120p and in the leaste termes

.1.x=.6.p.

Scholar. I see that you adde .18.p to bothe par-