William Oughtred

William Oughtred (1574–1660) was an English mathematician and Anglican clergyman who developed an early slide rule and introduced the multiplication sign ×.

Richard Delamain: An English mathematical instrument maker who published a circular slide rule in 1630. His publication preceded Oughtred’s account and sparked a dispute over priority.
Logarithm: The exponent to which a specified base must be raised to produce a given number. A slide rule converts multiplication into addition through logarithms.
Mathematical notation: A system of symbols and conventions used to express mathematical objects and relationships. Oughtred’s lasting influence includes concise symbols for operations and relations.
Eton College: An English independent boarding school founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. Oughtred was educated at Eton before studying at Cambridge.
Slide rule: A calculating instrument that uses aligned logarithmic scales to multiply, divide, and perform related operations. The instrument Oughtred helped develop remained a standard calculator for centuries.
Christopher Wren: An English architect, astronomer, and mathematician who studied mathematics under Oughtred. Wren was among the notable pupils Oughtred taught.
Gunter's scale: A logarithmic measuring scale used with dividers to perform multiplication and division. Oughtred adapted Gunter’s separate scale into a rule with sliding scales.
Multiplication sign: The symbol ×, commonly used to denote multiplication between quantities. Oughtred introduced × in his 1631 textbook Clavis Mathematicae.
King's College, Cambridge: A constituent college of the University of Cambridge, founded by Henry VI in 1441. Oughtred studied at King’s College and became a fellow there.
William Forster: An English mathematical writer who published an early account of Oughtred’s slide rule in 1632. Forster’s publication helped spread the instrument and became central to the priority dispute.

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Henry BriggsRelated: Oughtred translated logarithmic calculation into a reusable instrument after Briggs’s tables made the method familiar.