for then all nōbers aboue it, must nedes be compounde, bicause thei consist all of vnities.
Master. But yet by multiplication of. 1. no other nomber is compounde.
Scholar. By those wordes I am taught to knowe more, and speake better.
Master. Euen nombers are yet diuersly to be considered in their diuisions. Twoo is vncompounde. For although the greate multitude of euen nombers bee compounde, yet. 2. is accompted truely an euen nomber, originall, and vncompoūde. So that it maie make other nombers, & is made of no nōbers, but of vnities onely, as al odde nombers are.
All other euen nombers are compounde, and are diuersly diuided, for some are euen nombers euenly, and some are euen nombers oddely, and some are euen nombers both euenly and oddely. Euen nombers, euenly Euen nombers euenly, are suche nombers as maie bee parted continually into euen halfes, till you come to an vnitie. As for example. 32. first is diuided into. 16. as his euen halfe: and again, 16. into. 8. as his halfe: And. 8. againe by. 4. is parted into. 2. euen partes: Then. 4. also by. 2. And that. 2. is diuided into. 2. vnities, as his iuste halfes.
Euē nombers vneuenly. But euen nombers vneuenly, are suche nombers as maie bee diuided into. 2. equalle partes: whiche are odde nombers. As. 18. is diuided into. 9. and. 9. as his halfes, and thei are odde. So. 10. is diuided by. 5. And 30. by. 15. with a greate nomber more of suche sorte.
Euen nomers, euenly and oddely. Nombers euen euenly and oddely, bee commonly called suche nombers, as maie bee diuided into. 2. equalle and euen halues: but before you come to an vnitie, the halfes will be odde nombers. As. 60. maie be first parted into. 30. and. 30 whiche are euen: And thei againde diuided by. 15. whiche is odde.
Likewaies. 24. is diuided first by 12. And that 12. by 6. & lastly. 6. is diuided by. 3. whiche is an odde nōber.
So. 28. maie bee diuided into. 2. equalle and euenhalues,