A NEW ARITHMETIC.   130

each move of a figure to the left will increase its value twelve times. Three figures will then stand for twelve times twelve (144) instead of ten times ten

(100).

The method of increasing the value from right to left seemed natural enough to the Arabs and the Hindoos, for that was the direction in which they wrote, beginning the line on the right side of the page and going toward the left. But it seems awkward and unnatural to the European or the American boy, for we write from the left side toward the right. It seems to the boy that the numbers should increase in value in the same direction as he reads words.

THE SCALE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES should

certainly have the same law of increase as the system of numbers. Following is a tentative table. The linear unit is convertible into those of square and cubic measure, and it enters into those of weight. On comparing the six divisions of the table we see that only the initial letter is changed in passing from one to the other. This renders them easy to learn and remember. The words are entirely new, in order to secure brevity and unity of form. Nature gives us no object of invariable length for a unit. We adopt the British inch, or one-twelfth of it, as our unit of length. That can always be proved by the pendulum. The French meter was copied from an inaccessible unit, which may never be proved or known.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.   131

THE SCALE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES should certainly have the same law of increase as the system of numbers. Below is a tentative table. The linear unit is convertible into those of square and cubic measure, and it enters into those of weight. On comparing the six divisions of the table we see that only the initial letter is changed in passing from one to the other. This renders them easy to learn and remember. The words are entirely new, in order to secure brevity and unity of form. Nature gives us no object of invariable length for a unit. We adopt the British inch, or one-twelfth of it, as our unit of length. That can always he proved by the pendulum. The French meter was copied from an inaccessible unit, which may never be proved or known.

LINEAR MEASURE.

1-12 of an inch    I sad

12 sids or i inch    i sed

12 seds, I ft   i sid

1 2 sids    i sod

12 sods, 144 ft   I sed

12 sed...   I sad

12 sids, 3 dd iill/es   i sid

six inchcs   i sedi

six fact    r silo

CUBIC MEASURE.

T-12 cubic inch    i kad 12 kids, i cubic inch..i ked

12 keels   i kd 1 2 kids, I cubic foot... i kod 12 kods, 144 cubic ft ...i ked 12 keds, 21/3 cub. yds.i i kad 12 kacs, 256 cub. yds..i kyd

six cubic inches    i keda

six cubic feet   i kedo

SURFACE OR SQUARE.

1-12 inch square    I fad

12 sids square    i fed

12 seds square   i fid

12 sids square    i fod

12 sods squar.e   x fed

12 seds square   i fad

12 sids square   i fid

six inches square    i feda

six feet square   i fid i

UNITS OF TIME.

12 todas    I tod

12 tods, 5 minutes    I tad

12 tads, one hour    i ted 12 teds, I day or night..i tid.

24 hours, or teds   i tod

30 tods and 5 teds   i tad

12 tads and 5 toils   i tvd

UNITS OF WEIGHT.

1-12 cubic inch water ...i bad 12 bids, I cubic inch .... I bed 12 beds    I bid

12 bids   i bod

12 bods   i bed

12 bed   I bad

12 bads   i bid

UNITS OF WORK.

5 min. human labor.. i stod 12 stods, I hour    i stad Horse or mech. power I . i sted

Heat, i degree F   i stid

Electr   I stod

photome   i stad Velocity 864 ft. p. min. i styd