Kiselev’s Arithmetic trained generations of strong mathematicians by doing something modern textbooks increasingly avoid: it teaches you to think, not to memorize.
This edition is a carefully edited English translation and adaptation of Alexander P. Kiselev’s classic Arithmetic, written to be clear for today’s readers while preserving the book’s original strengths: logical structure, disciplined reasoning, and genuinely graduated practice.
Kiselev doesn’t rely on gimmicks, cartoons, or “feel-good” shortcuts. Instead, it builds mathematical understanding the way it should be built: step by step, with definitions, methods, and problems that reinforce real mastery.
What Makes This Edition Different
- Student-friendly English, not diluted math
The language is modern and readable, but the reasoning remains precise. - Concepts first, procedures second
You learn what operations mean and why methods work—not just what buttons to press. - Built for real arithmetic competence
This is arithmetic as a foundation for algebra, problem solving, and later olympiad-style thinking—not arithmetic as rote computation.
Who This Book Is For
This book is designed for:
- Students who want to become strong at math (not just “get by”)
- Parents and tutors who want a rigorous, coherent curriculum
- Adults rebuilding fundamentals properly (including engineers and data scientists)
- Anyone frustrated by modern materials that lower expectations and hide the logic
What You’ll Learn
You will develop:
- numerical intuition and mental calculation ability
- correct written computation methods (that you can explain, not copy)
- fluency with fractions, ratios, and proportional reasoning
- disciplined reasoning through structured examples and exercises
- a foundation that makes algebra and later mathematics dramatically easier
Why Kiselev Still Works
Most math difficulties later in life come from weak arithmetic foundations: shaky fractions, unclear place value, and procedures learned without understanding.
Kiselev fixes this at the source.
It treats the reader as capable, and it rewards effort with genuine competence.
