Abstract: Luca Pacioli was the pride of the age of Renaissance. His Summa de Arithmetica Geometria Proportioni et Proportionalita (hereinafter referred to as Summa) is an encyclopedic mathematical masterpiece in the annals of history. The Summa de Arithmetica Geometria Proportioni et Proportionalita in Summa is the first work about double-entry bookkeeping, and ushered in “Luca Pacioli’s Era” which has a far-reaching influence in the world history of accounting. On the basis of original texts, by describing the Italian arithmetic, business and cultural environment, this paper aims to investigate Pacioli’s important achievements as a Friar mathematician in the compilation and teaching of mathematics and his academic circle of friends. Meanwhile, by analyzing his mathematical books and other works, this paper gives a comprehensive evaluation of Pacioli during the Renaissance of how he made contributions to the development and progress of mathematical knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.

Key Words: Luca Pacioli; Renaissance; Summa; Algebra; Commercial mathematics