Word.ws English Dictionary

higher arithmetic

higher arithmetic noun: number theory; the branch of pure mathematics concerned primarily with integers and integer-valued functions.

Noun

higher arithmetic (uncountable)

  1. (dated) Number theory; the branch of pure mathematics concerned primarily with integers and integer-valued functions.
    • The higher arithmetic, or the theory of numbers, is concerned with the properties of the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, . . . .1999, [1952], H. Davenport, The Higher Arithmetic: An Introduction to Number Theory, 7th edition, Cambridge University Press, page 7
    • 2008, Harold M. Edwards, Higher Arithmetic: An Algorithmic Introduction to Number Theory, American Mathematical Society, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=JTER4y2vBMIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22higher+arithmetic%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj3lPH21PzuAhWVwzgGHXU0AZMQ6AEwBHoECF...
  2. (obsolete) A loosely defined range of topics in arithmetic, distinguished from elementary arithmetic by the more advanced nature of the methods and concepts.
    • Arithmetic should overlap algebra, because the simpler parts of Algebra are easier than higher arithmetic; and some knowledge of algebra would conduce to a more intelligent appreciation of such topics as proportion, evolution, application of percentage, etc.1895, Report, Mississippi State Department of Education, page 10
    • With division higher arithmetic naturally begins, and for the more advanced pupil it will be proper here to insert a short course on that subject.1976, Charles S. Peirce, The New Elements of Mathematics, Volume 1: Arithmetic, Mouton Publishers, page 95

Questions about higher arithmetic

What does higher arithmetic mean?
Higher arithmetic means number theory; the branch of pure mathematics concerned primarily with integers and integer-valued functions.
What part of speech is higher arithmetic?
Higher arithmetic is a noun.

Words near higher arithmetic in the dictionary

  1. highen
  2. highend
  3. highens
  4. higher
  5. higher and mightier
  6. higher arithmetic
  7. higher being
  8. higher beings
  9. Higher Bockhampton
  10. Higher Buxton
  11. higher consciousness

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: higher arithmetic (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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