李相卨의 算書 數理

Abstract

Since western mathematics and astronomy had been introduced in Chosun dynasty in the 17th century, most of Chosun mathematicians studied Shu li jing yun(數理精蘊) for the western mathematics. In the last two decades of the 19th century, Chosun scholars have studied them which were introduced by Japanese text books and western missionaries. The former dealt mostly with elementary arithmetic and the latter established schools and taught mathematics. Lee Sang Seol(1870∼1917) is well known in Korea as a Confucian scholar, government official, educator and foremost Korean independence movement activist in the 20th century. He was very eager to acquire western civilizations and studied them with the minister H. B. Hulbert(18631949). He wrote a mathematics book Su Ri(數理, 1898-1899) which has two parts. The first one deals with the linear part(線部) and geometry in Shu li jing yun and the second part with algebra. Using Su Ri, we investigate the process of transmission of western mathematics into Chosun in the century and show that Lee Sang Seol built a firm foundation for the study of algebra in Chosun