BEZOUT Etienne Théorie générale des équations algébriques.

D.S.B., II, pp. 111 sq.

First edition of the author’s major work.

“It was not until 1779 that Bezout published his Théorie des équations algébriques, his major work on elimination theory. Its best-known achievement is the statement and proof of Bezout’s theorem : ‘The degree of the final equation resulting from any number of complete equations in the same number of unknowns, and of any degrees, is equal to the product of the degrees of the equations. ‘Bezout, following Euler, defined a complete polynomial as one that contains each possible combination of the unknowns whose degree is more than the degree of the polynomial. Bezout also computed that the degree of the resultant equation is less that the product of the degrees for various systems of incomplete equations… The proof makes one marvel at the ingenuity of Bezout, who, like Euler, not only could manipulate formulas but also had the ability to choose those manipulations that would be fruitful” (D.S.B.).

Fine copy, well preserved in its first binding.