More than a century after its publication, The Solution of Equations by Mansfield Merriman remains a remarkably clear introduction to one of mathematics' most important practical problems: finding the roots of equations. In this concise commentary, Peter I. Kattan revisits this classic work from a modern perspective, explaining its principal ideas, highlighting its historical significance, and showing why the numerical methods developed over one hundred years ago continue to underpin today's scientific computing.
The commentary examines graphical methods, Regula Falsi, Newton's method, Horner's method, polynomial equations, transcendental equations, and engineering applications, while placing these classical techniques within the context of modern computational tools such as MATLAB, Python, WolframAlpha, and artificial intelligence. Readers will discover that although computers have transformed the speed and convenience of numerical calculations, the fundamental mathematical principles have changed remarkably little.
Ideal for students, engineers, scientists, educators, and anyone interested in the history of numerical analysis, this book serves as both a guide to Merriman's influential monograph and a bridge to contemporary equation-solving techniques. It also provides a preview of the author's forthcoming book, Solving Equations with Modern Tools: From Hand Calculations to MATLAB, Python, WolframAlpha, and AI, which extends these timeless ideas into the era of modern scientific computing.
