Numerical values of Latin letters

[David Garber]

Dear all,
 
I have the following question: I have encountered in a Judaica book the following numerical values for Latin letters:
A=500, B=300, C=100, D=500, E=250, F=40, G=400, ...
It is written there that it should appear in the beginning of the first book of Niccolo Tartaglia.
 
I have tried by Google to find some information on this but I failed.
 
Can you add me more information about this interesting numerical values?  
 
Thank you very much,
David Garber.
 
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David Garber
Department of Applied Mathematics
School of Sciences
Holon Institute of Technology
52 Golomb st.
PO Box 305
58102 Holon 
Israel
 
E-mail: garber at hit.ac.il <mailto:garber at hit.ac.il> 
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