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PREFACE.
The numerous transactions which take place connected with the sale of
Annuities and Reversions, render a knowledge of the principles on which
their values are calculated extremely desirable.
This treatise is intended to give the student an opportunity of acquir
ing a knowledge by no means superficial of the method of calculating
Annuities and Reversions, whether dependent on a fixed number of
years, or the uncertain tenure of human life.
The First Part, which refers to Annuities and Reversions not dependent
on life, contains algebraical solutions of the different cases, with the rules
in words and with examples for illustration. The Algebraical Formulae,
and practical examples and illustrations, are afterwards given separately
at the end.
The Second Part contains the method of finding the values of An
nuities and Reversions dependent on the existence of one or more lives,
with a brief account at the end of the different Insurance Offices in
London. To avoid misconception on the part of the public, or the
charge of partiality on the part of any of the offices noticed, it must be
observed that the accounts are mere abstracts of the prospectuses issued
by the offices, and the length or brevity of the notices is by no means
tv-> be considered as a standard of recommendation; for it will be found,
on inquiry, that the established offices of respectability in general afford
all the solid advantages offered by those recently established.
A variety of Tables will be found at the end of the First and Second
Parts.
In the part which treats of Life Contingencies resort has been had
to Mr. Griffith Davies’s Method of constructing Tables of the Values
of Annuities, published by him in a small tract in 1825, and a variety
of formulae have been deduced therefrom of considerable utility in
working numerous cases connected with Life Annuities and Assurances.
The advantage of this method is the use which is made of the ele
ments employed in the calculation, and which are given under the
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