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DECIL

Volume 7 · 263 words · 1815 Edition

in Astronomy, an aspect or position of two planets, when they are distant from each other a tenth part of the zodiac.

DECIMAL arithmetic, the art of computing by decimal fractions. See ARITHMETIC.

CIRCULATING DECIMALS, called also recurring or repeating decimals, are those in which a figure or several figures are continually repeated. They are distinguished into single and multiple, and these again into pure and mixed.

A pure single circulate is that in which one figure only is repeated; as .222, &c. and is marked thus .2.

A pure multiple circulate is that in which several figures are continually repeated; as .232323, &c. marked .23; and .524524, &c. marked .524.

A mixed single circulate is that which consists of a terminate part, and a single repeating figure; as 4.222, &c. or 4.2.

A mixed multiple circulate is that which contains a terminate part with several repeating figures; as 45.524.

That part of the circulate which repeats is called the repetend; and the whole repetend, supposed infinitely continued, is equal to a vulgar fraction, whose numerator is the repeating number or figures, and its denominator the same number of nines: so .2 is \( \frac{2}{9} \); and .23 is \( \frac{23}{99} \); and .524 is \( \frac{524}{999} \).

Dr Wallis, it appears, was the first who distinctly considered or treated of infinite circulating decimals, as he himself informs us in his Treatise of Infinites. Since his time many other authors have treated on this part of arithmetic; the principal of these, however, to whom the art is mostly indebted, are Messrs Brown, Cunn,