The Ladies' Diary or Woman's Almanack, 1704–1841

AbstractThe existence of the Ladies' Diary or the Woman's Almanack, an 18th century English magazine devoted largely to problems and puzzles in mathematics, indicates that stereotypes about the inability of women to understand and enjoy mathematics were less strongly believed in the 18th century than they are today. The beginning of the Ladies' Diary coincides with the popularization of mathematics and the growth of mathematical literacy. However, as mathematical literacy spread in response to developing technology's requirements for more mathematically sophisticated workers, women, not part of this need, were left behind. This effect is reflected in the decline in the number of women contributors over the life of the publication