Halfpenny (British decimal coin) of new pence) alongside the new decimal coinage. The halfpenny coin's obverse featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II; the reverse featured an image of St Edward's Crown. It was minted in bronze (like the 1p and 2p coins). It was the smallest decimal coin in both size and value. The size was in proportion to the 1p and 2p coins. It soon became Britain's least favourite coin. The Treasury had continued to argue that the halfpenny was important in the fight against inflation (preventing prices from being rounded up). The coin was demonetised and withdrawn from circulation in December
Cocker's Decimal Arithmetick Cocker's Decimal Arithmetick Cocker's Decimal Arithmetick is a grammar school mathematics textbook written by Edward Cocker (1631–1676) and published posthumously by John Hawkins in 1684. "Decimal Arithmetick" along with companion volume, "Cocker's Arithmetick" published in 1677, were used in schools in the United Kingdom for more than 150 years. The concept of decimal fractions and the advantages of using them in calculations were well known, but a wide variety of different notations were in use. After surveying various notations, "Decimal Arithmetick" recommends the decimal point notation introduced by John Napier: "Decimal Arithmetick" gives instructions for calculations involving decimals, methods of