Entry

Math: Algebra: Word: History: What is the history of the word algebra?

Oct 3rd, 2004 07:45
Knud van Eeden,

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--- Knud van Eeden --- 03 October 2004 - 04:44 pm --------------------

Math: Algebra: Word: History: What is the history of the word algebra?

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The word 'algebra' is derived from the first words in the title of
Al-Khowarizmi's most well-known book: Al Jabr Wa'l Muqabalah.

It was from this book that Europe was later to learn the branch of
mathematics called algebra.

While algebraic ideas are in the root of Diophantus' book
'Arithmetica', the 'Al Jabr' is more closely related to the algebra of
today.

The book is concerned with straightforward solutions of equations of
first and second degree.

In Arabic, the name of the book means

'Restauration by transposing terms from one side of an equation to the
 other'

the way first-order equations are solved today.

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[book: source: Aczel, Amir D. - Fermat's last theorem - ISBN 0-14-
026708-5 - p. 34]

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