Billiards Mathematically Treated
The new matter introduced into this edition is aimed mainly at an exact and exhaustive discussion of certain problems which were only slightly dealt with in the first edition . For example , in treating the case of common occurrence when a stroke can be made either with through or fine play, I have , in Appendix III. , endeavoured in each case to find and compare the correct mode of playing for the through and the fine stroke respectively , and the permissible margins of error on which the choice between the two methods must depend .
The problem of billiards in all its generality is this :-A ball in motion (the striking ball ) impinges on a ball at rest ( the object ball) or on a cushion , to find the subsequent path of each ball , in the first case , or of the striking ball in the second.