Page:The Whetstone of Witte.djvu/38

 Beside these there are other numbers, whiche are made of many multiplications,

and thei are called sounde nombers: bicause that as by the firste multiplication, thei take lengthe and breadthe, like flatte numbers, so by the second multiplication, thei take depthe also: And thereof be thei named bodily nombers, or sound nombers.

The leaste of them all is commonly called a Cube, or a Cubike nomber: And the other in their degrees seuerally named, as thei bee made by seueralle multiplications. For accordynge to the number of their multiplications, thei take their names. And all that haue like number of multiplications, are of one kinde, and here one name: as well in flatte numbers, as in sounde.

But consideryng the infinite multitude of those figuralle numbers, I thinke beste to speake of theim onely in this place, whiche haue muche profitable vse in this arte. And, of those, emong infinite flatte numbers, I will take onely fower. That is to saie, square nombers, longesquares, diametralle nombers, and likeflattes.

Square nombers are those, whiche maie be diuided by some one number, and haue the same number for the quotiente: that is to saie, that a square nōber is made by the multiplication of any number into it self, as 10 multiplied by. 10. maketh. 100. That. 100. is a square number: whiche. 100. if I doe diuide by. 10. the quotiente will be. 10. also.

Scholar. So, 4. multiplied by. 4. maketh. 16: and that must be a square number by like reason.

Master. So it is.

Scholar. And if I multiplie. 9. by. 4. is not that a square number? Seyng fower semeth to make all nōbers square by multiplication.

Master. Consider this well, that a square number doeth make suche a square in number, as a iuste square doeth make in Geometrie: That is suche a one