The Young Man's Best Companion (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 Excerpt: ...feet. The dimensions of wainscoting and paving, plastering, and painting, are taken in feet and inches, and the contents given in yards. Of the Square and Superficial Contents or Area. The squaring of any number is multiplying it into itself, as 12 inches multiplied by 12 inches make 144 square inches. The superficial content or area of any thing is found four several ways, viz. by whole Numbers, by Decimals, by Practice, and by Cross Multiplication; in each of which methods I shall give examples of operation. A Rectangle hath its sides perpendicular, and those that are opposite equal; but the adjacent sides are unequal j boards, wainscots, ceilings, windows, doors, &c. are commonly of this figure. When any thing is to be measured, it must be considered what form or fashion it is of; and then it must be measured according to the several Rules for each Figure. First. If it be a square or oblong, then the length and breadth must be multiplied one by the other, which gives the contents in square measure, and that Ptoduct must be divided by its proper Divisor, according to the name in which the content or area is to be given. Ex. Admit a board to be 12 inches broad, and 8 feet or 96 inches long, how many square or superficial feet doth it contain?; Here the length in inches is multiplied by the breadth in inches, and the product 1152 divided by 144, the square inches in a foot, quotes 8 feet square for the content of the board. A Rule for Dispatch. if the length of a board, or piece of glass, be given in feet, and the breadth in inches, multiply one by the other (without any Reduction), anddivide the product by 12; and the quotient will be the answer in feet, and the remainder will be parts of a foot. So the foregoing Example might have been done sooner by ...