Websites

For a detailed look into logarithms and Napier’s involvement in their development, read “The Logarithms and Rules” page on the History of Computers site. In addition to detailing the Napier’s role in logarithmic innovation, the page also discusses later contributors to logarithmic knowledge, including those who developed slide rule technology.

Visit the “History of Logarithms” page for a brief overview of the history and modern application of logarithms.

If you’d rather explore logarithms more mathematically, the history of logarithms given in Wikipedia includes the evolution of mathematical expressions of logarithmic properties.

The Encyclopedia Britannica page for logarithms includes the tool’s purpose and history, and provides links to related Encyclopedia Britannica pages.

Journal Articles

The following article is a concise summary of the computational developments in the history of logarithms. The piece provides some historical motive but focuses mainly on theoretical developments.

Read “A Brief History of Logarithms,” by R. C. Pierce, Jr.