PELL, JOHN (1611-85). An English mathe matician, horn at Southwick. in Sussex. lie was educated at Steyning and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a remarkable student. hav ing at the age of twenty mastered Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Italian, French, Spanish, and Dutch, and having shown much proficiency in mathematics. He was elected to the chair of mathematics at _Amsterdam in 1643. By the invitation of the Prince of Grange (1646), he accepted the professorship of mathematics at lle returned to England a. few years later (1652), and was made political agent to the Protestant cantons in Switzerland by Crom well in 1654. Returning again to England in 1658, lie entered the ministry (1661), and became rector of Fobbing and vicar of Laindon, both in Sussex County. which offices he retained till his death. He was chosen Fellow of the Royal So ciety in 1663, and in the same year became domestic chaplain to Dr. Sheldon, Bishop of Can
terbury, and took the degree of doctor of divin ity. But his interest in philosophy and mathe matics unfitted him for the ministry, leading him to neglect his clerical duties in pursuit of more congenial studies. l'ell was inlluential in the matter of fixing the symbolism of algebra.
The division symbol is commonly attributed to him, although it was due to Rahn, whose work, translated by Brancker. he edited (1688).
llis most important mathwatical works are: .1 Ref a la lion of LongOMoll 11118'S PO •tendell Quadratutc of the Circle (1646, in Latin 1647) A Table of 10,000 Square Yanibees (1672); in Antilogarithmic Table, computed with the aid of Walter Warner (c.1630 40). now lost ; and a collection of some 40 folio A 11111111e, of letters and papers preserved in the British Museum.