At the time they began collaborating, Whitehead was working on his article Memoir on the algebra of symbolic logic while Russell was close to finishing the first draft of his Principles of mathematics.
Sa oras na sila ay nagsimulang nakikipagtulungan, Whitehead ay nagtatrabaho sa kanyang article talaarawan sa algebra ng sinasagisag na lohika habang Russell ay malapit sa pagtatapos ng unang draft ng kanyang mga Alituntunin ng matematika.