The development of algebra can be traced back to ancient civilizations, but it was largely formalized by Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi in the 9th century in the Middle East.
And now, looking more attentively
Algebra, one of the major branches of mathematics, has been utilized for hundreds of years to solve various problems in everyday life. The development of algebra can be traced back to ancient civilizations, but it was largely formalized by Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi in the 9th century in the Middle East.
According to The Story of Mathematics by Anne Rooney, “Al-Khwarizmi was one of the greatest mathematicians of the medieval world and is acknowledged as the father of algebra. His work on algebra was outstanding and his book on the subject, Al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wa-l-muqābala, is still regarded as the most influential textbook on the subject.”
Al-Khwarizmi’s work on algebra was not only groundbreaking, but it also introduced many concepts, including quadratic equations and algebraic symbols. He used a system of six basic operations that are still used today: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square, and reduction. Additionally, al-Khwarizmi’s book also contained the first systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations.
It is interesting to note that the word “algebra” comes from the title of al-Khwarizmi’s book, which is translated to “The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing.”
Without al-Khwarizmi’s contributions, modern mathematics would not be where it is today, and the way we solve problems would be much different. His influence can still be felt, and he has undoubtedly left an enormous impact on the world of mathematics.
Here is a table summarizing some interesting facts about the invention of algebra:
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin of word “algebra” | Comes from al-Khwarizmi’s book, “The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing” |
| Founder of algebra | Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a Persian mathematician born in the 8th century |
| First systematic solution | Al-Khwarizmi’s book contained the first systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations |
| Basic operations | Al-Khwarizmi used a system of six basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square, and reduction |
| Influence | Al-Khwarizmi’s contributions to mathematics continue to be used today, particularly in the field of algebra |
| Book on algebra | Al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wa-l-muqābala is still regarded as the most influential textbook on the subject |
You might discover the answer to “Who invented algebra and where was it invented?” in this video
The origins of algebra have a complex history and originated from different cultures and civilizations. The Babylonians were the first to produce formal algebra 4000 years ago, while the Greeks, Chinese, and Indians still used geometric solutions to find unknowns. An Indian mathematician, Brahma Gupta, developed algebra itself. The origin of the term algebra from the Arabs is only partially true, as it was part of a title from an 820 mathematical treatise and was used to describe the process of working out unknowns from a formula.
Further answers can be found here
The origins of algebra can be traced to the ancient Babylonians, who developed a positional number system that greatly aided them in solving their rhetorical algebraic equations.
Credit is usually given to either Diophantus (3rd century AD, Alexandria) or Muhammed al-Khwarizmi (c. 780-850, Baghdad – though born in the region of Khwarizm in what was northern Persia). Al-Khwarizmi gives us the word “algebra” from his book Al-kitab al-muhtasar fi hisab al-Jabr wa-l-muqabala. “Al-Jabr” translates as something like “completing” or “restoring” and refers to the method of removing a negative from one side and adding the positive to the other, for example [math]3x+2=4-2x[/math] converts to [math]5x+2=4[/math].
Of course many others were involved and the symbolic algebra we use today was developed by European mathematicians of the renaissance. Notably Descartes introduced the superscript notation for powers (eg [math]x^3[/math]).
Source: A History of Mathematics, 3rd Edition, Victor J. Katz (2009)