ſwers this queſtion, how many? (unleſs it be anſwered by nothing.) So if it be asked how many dayes are in a week, the anſwer is ſeven, which is called Number.
The Characters by which number is expreſſed III. The Notes or Characters, by which Number is ordinarily expreſſed, are theſe; 1 one, 2 two, 3 three, 4 four, 5 five, 6 ſix, 7 ſeven, 8 eight, 9 nine, 0 nothing.
IV. Theſe Notes or Characters are either ſignificant figures, or a Cypher.
V. The ſignificant figures are the firſt nine; viz. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The firſt whereof is more particularly called an Unit, or Unity, and the reſt are ſaid to be compoſed or Unities: ſo 2 is compoſe of two unities, 3 of three Unities, &c.
VI. The Cypher is the laſt, which though of it ſelf it ſignifies nothing, yet being annexed after any of the reſt, it increaſeth their value: As will appear in the following Rules.
VII. Arithmetick hath two parts, Notation and Numeration.
VIII. Notation teacheth how to expreſs, read, or declare, the ſignification or value of any number written, and alſo to write down any number propounded, with proper Characters in their due places.
The places or degrees of any number. IX. A Number is ſaid to have ſo many places or degrees, as there are Characters in the number; viz. when divers figures, whether they be intermixt with a Cypher of Cyphers or not, are placed together like letters in a word, without any point, comma, line, or other not of diſtinction inter-