Al-Khwarizmi
Persian mathematician, astronomer, and geographer whose influential works systematized algebra and described arithmetic methods.
Who or what
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. 780–850) was a scholar at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad.
His name gave rise to the word "algorithm" and his book "Al-Kitab al-Mukhtasar fi Hisab al-Jabr wa'l-Muqabala" gave us "algebra."
Why it mattered
He synthesized Greek geometry with Indian numerals and Persian mathematics to create entirely new fields.
His approach was revolutionary: reduce problems to standard forms, then apply systematic solution procedures.
Key works and moments
He solved linear and quadratic equations by completing the square — a method still taught today.
His work on Hindu-Arabic numerals (translated into Latin as "Algoritmi de numero Indorum") introduced the decimal positional system to Europe.
Further detail
Al-Jabr ("restoration") referred to moving subtracted terms to the other side of an equation; al-Muqabala ("balancing") meant canceling equal terms on both sides.
He classified quadratic equations into six canonical forms since negative coefficients were not yet accepted.
Legacy
Algebra became the foundation of all subsequent mathematics, from Renaissance algebra to modern abstract algebra.
His geographical work corrected Ptolemy's maps and influenced cartography for centuries.
More in Islamic Golden Age
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