[MATHEMATICS AND GAMBLING]. MOIVRE, Abraham de (1667-1754). The Doctrine of Chances... London: Printed for the Author, 1738. 4to. [4], xiv, 256 pp. Woodcut ornament on title-page, decorative headbands, tail-pieces and initial letters. Contemporary calf, rebacked, gilt brown morocco label. THE SECOND EDITION, SUBSTANTIALLY EXPANDED FROM THE 1718 FIRST EDITION, WITH MORE THAN EIGHTY PAGES OF ADDED TEXT AND REVISIONS.
Condition
Boards worn, hinges repaired and starting, endleaves offset, text a bit toned with occasional offsetting, foxing, soiling. Very good.
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De Moivre's (1667-1754) most important book on probability. The work is essentially a gambler's manual, "giving a systematic presentation of the arithmetic principles upon which are based the solution of problems concerning the advantage of players and the size of wager which may be lain in a wide variety of games of chance" (Walker, p. 12). The second edition includes de Moivre's work on the normal approximation of the binomial probability distribution, his most memorable discovery. Indeed this work would hardly be known today if it had not gone into a second edition. Stigler, pp. 70-88.