PRODUCT

, in Arithmetic, or Algebra, is the factum of two numbers, or quantities, or the quantity arising from, or produced by, the multiplication of, two or more numbers &c together. Thus, 48 is the product of 6 multiplied by 8.—In multiplication, unity is in proportion to one factor, as the other factor is to the product. So .

In Algebra, the product of simple quantities is expressed by joining the letters together like a word, and prefixing the product of the numeral coefficients: So the product of a and b is ab, of 3a and 4bc is 12abc. But the product of compound factors or quantities is expressed by setting the sign of multiplication between them, and binding each compound factor in a vinculum: so the product of and is , or .

In geometry, a rectangle answers to a product, its length and breadth being the two factors; because the numbers expressing the length and breadth being mul- tiplied together, produce the content or area of the rectangle.