This is a fascinating article about arithmetic calculations during the transition from Roman to Arabic numerals in 1500-1600 England. Well worth reading. Full of historical surprises.

"Without nomberynge a man can do almost nothynge. With the helpe of it, you maye attayne to all thyng."

-- Robert Recorde, 1543

Thanks! FYI there’s a typo in the author’s name in the archived version that has since been fixed in the original. Correct name is Jessica Marie Otis.

It is correct in the main text in the archive.

No paywall on the original source for me.

In a similar vein I recommend Empire of the Sum by Keith Houston, an excellent history of calculators that also spends a lot of time on how we humans calculated before we had them

I was kind of hoping Kieran Healy wrote this