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Algebra and algorithms

Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwārizmī developed the concept of algorithms in mathematics, which is why he is known to be the grandfather of computer sciences.

His iconic book ‘The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing’ presented quadratic and linear equations and ways to solve them. The scholar developed in it the mathematical process of ‘reduction’ and ‘balancing’ which is the possibility to take to the other side of an equation a term, and the possibility to annul same terms in the opposite side of an equation. The term Algebra is derived from his book entitled ‘Al-Jabr’.

Moreover, he contributed greatly to trigonometry by tabulating accurately sine and cosine as well as tangents.

Written by: Fatma Abdi.