Benjamin Franklin Finkel (July 5, 1865 – February 5, 1947) was a mathematician and educator most remembered today as the founder of the American Mathematical Monthly magazine.

The purpose of the book was to provide mathematics teachers a text utilizing a systematic method of problem solving, "The Step Method", representing a chain of reasoning, in logical order, to arrive at the correct result.

[1] The first edition was postponed until 1893, due to financial problems of the original publisher.

[2] The book's preface stated that the work was based upon eight years of teaching in the public schools.

[3] In 1906 he was awarded a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, where he had earlier earned an additional master's degree in 1904 and a Harrison fellow appointment in 1905.