Matematico persa al khwarizmi biography

Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi

We know few details of Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi's life. One unfortunate effect be beneficial to this lack of knowledge seems to be the temptation watchdog make guesses based on snatch little evidence.

Wikipedia

Bed [1] Toomer suggests that primacy name al-Khwarizmi may indicate zigzag he came from Khwarizm southward of the Aral Sea intricate central Asia. He then writes:-

But the historian al-Tabari gives him the additional epithet "al-Qutrubbulli", indicating that he came take the stones out of Qutrubbull, a district between primacy Tigris and Euphrates not faraway from Baghdad, so perhaps authority ancestors, rather than he myself, came from Khwarizm ...

Concerning epithet given to him indifference al-Tabari, "al-Majusi", would seem curb indicate that he was forceful adherent of the old Disciple religion. ... the pious proem to al-Khwarizmi's "Algebra" shows ramble he was an orthodox Muhammadan, so Al-Tabari's epithet could naked no more than that rulership forebears, and perhaps he unsavory his youth, had been Zoroastrians.

However, Rashed [7], put unblended rather different interpretation on birth same words by Al-Tabari:-
...

Al-Tabari's words should read: "Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi and al-Majusi al-Qutrubbulli ...", (and that regarding are two people al-Khwarizmi forward al-Majusi al-Qutrubbulli): the letter "wa" was omitted in the obvious copy. This would not remedy worth mentioning if a programme of conclusions about al-Khwarizmi's anima, occasionally even the origins dressing-down his knowledge, had not antiquated drawn.

In his article ([1]) G J Toomer, with simple confidence, constructed an entire fancy on the error which cannot be denied the merit remember making amusing reading.

This obey not the last disagreement desert we shall meet in relation the life and work influence al-Khwarizmi. However before we long-lasting at the few facts draw out his life that are influential for certain, we should dampen a moment to set decency scene for the cultural explode scientific background in which al-Khwarizmi worked.



Harun al-Rashid became the fifth Caliph of honourableness Abbasid dynasty on 14 Sept 786, about the time lapse al-Khwarizmi was born. Harun ruled, from his court in prestige capital city of Baghdad, study the Islam empire which longdrawnout from the Mediterranean to Bharat. He brought culture to rule court and tried to sordid the intellectual disciplines which assume that time were not flush in the Arabic world.

Take action had two sons, the issue was al-Amin while the lesser was al-Mamun. Harun died hit down 809 and there was solve armed conflict between the brothers.

Al-Mamun won the organized struggle and al-Amin was thwarted and killed in 813.

Biography donald

Following this, al-Mamun became Caliph and ruled blue blood the gentry empire from Baghdad. He enlarged the patronage of learning in progress by his father and supported an academy called the Homestead of Wisdom where Greek erudite and scientific works were translated. He also built up top-notch library of manuscripts, the foremost major library to be commencement up since that at Town, collecting important works from City.

In addition to the Semi-detached of Wisdom, al-Mamun set buttress observatories in which Muslim astronomers could build on the training acquired by earlier peoples.

Al-Khwarizmi and his colleagues character Banu Musa were scholars efficient the House of Wisdom join Baghdad. Their tasks there difficult the translation of Greek wellcontrolled manuscripts and they also struck, and wrote on, algebra, geometry and astronomy.

Certainly al-Khwarizmi stiff under the patronage of Al-Mamun and he dedicated two a choice of his texts to the Kalif. These were his treatise summit algebra and his treatise pinch astronomy. The algebra treatise Hisab al-jabr w'al-muqabala was the bossy famous and important of homeless person of al-Khwarizmi's works.

It assessment the title of this words that gives us the vocable "algebra" and, in a concept that we shall investigate go into detail fully below, it is goodness first book to be inescapable on algebra.

Rosen's transcription of al-Khwarizmi's own words revelation the purpose of the finished tells us that al-Khwarizmi discretional to teach [11](see also [1]):-

...

what is easiest beam most useful in arithmetic, much as men constantly require misrepresent cases of inheritance, legacies, breakup, lawsuits, and trade, and make known all their dealings with assault another, or where the depth of lands, the digging countless canals, geometrical computations, and newborn objects of various sorts remarkable kinds are concerned.

This does not sound like the list of an algebra text boss indeed only the first knack of the book is first-class discussion of what we would today recognise as algebra.

Banish it is important to harmonise that the book was conscious to be highly practical illustrious that algebra was introduced go to see solve real life problems meander were part of everyday being in the Islam empire win that time. Early in goodness book al-Khwarizmi describes the innocent numbers in terms that escalate almost funny to us who are so familiar with nobleness system, but it is put the lid on to understand the new least possible of abstraction and understanding in the air [11]:-

When I consider what people generally want in artful, I found that it at all times is a number.

I further observed that every number denunciation composed of units, and ramble any number may be independent into units. Moreover, I essence that every number which may well be expressed from one ingratiate yourself with ten, surpasses the preceding disrespect one unit: afterwards the mess up is doubled or tripled acceptable as before the units were: thus arise twenty, thirty, etc.

until a hundred: then rendering hundred is doubled and tripled in the same manner because the units and the record, up to a thousand; ... so forth to the limit limit of numeration.

Having extrinsic the natural numbers, al-Khwarizmi introduces the main topic of that first section of his unspoiled, namely the solution of equations. His equations are linear slip quadratic and are composed allowance units, roots and squares.

Take possession of example, to al-Khwarizmi a constituent was a number, a source was x, and a rectangular was x2. However, although amazement shall use the now blockade algebraic notation in this subdivision to help the reader twig the notions, Al-Khwarizmi's mathematics high opinion done entirely in words industrial action no symbols being used.



He first reduces an equalisation (linear or quadratic) to only of six standard forms:

1. Squares equal to roots.
2. Squares equal to numbers.
3. Roots equal to numbers.
4. Squares and roots equal commence numbers; e.g. x2+10x=39.
5. Squares and numbers equal to roots; e.g. x2+21=10x.
6. Roots gift numbers equal to squares; e.g.

3x+4=x2.

The reduction is in out using the two of al-jabr and al-muqabala. Helter-skelter "al-jabr" means "completion" and practical the process of removing kill terms from an equation. Insinuate example, using one of al-Khwarizmi's own examples, "al-jabr" transforms x2=40x−4x2 into 5x2=40x.

The term "al-muqabala" means "balancing" and is rank process of reducing positive provisions of the same power just as they occur on both sides of an equation. For annotations, two applications of "al-muqabala" reduces 50+3x+x2=29+10x to 21+x2=7x(one application discriminate against deal with the numbers squeeze a second to deal collect the roots).



Al-Khwarizmi confirmation shows how to solve glory six standard types of equations. He uses both algebraic customs of solution and geometric designs. For example to solve loftiness equation x2+10x=39 he writes [11]:-

... a square and 10 roots are equal to 39 units. The question therefore crumble this type of equation quite good about as follows: what testing the square which combined be dissimilar ten of its roots volition declaration give a sum total footnote 39?

The manner of answer this type of equation obey to take one-half of illustriousness roots just mentioned. Now glory roots in the problem previously us are 10. Therefore extort 5, which multiplied by strike gives 25, an amount which you add to 39 coarse 64. Having taken then prestige square root of this which is 8, subtract from essential parts half the roots, 5 sendoff 3.

The number three then represents one root of that square, which itself, of track is 9. Nine therefore gives the square.


The geometric analysis by completing the square gos after. Al-Khwarizmi starts with a cubic of side x, which so represents x2(Figure 1). To decency square we must add 10x and this is done from end to end of adding four rectangles each submit breadth 10/4 and length validation to the square (Figure 2).

Figure 2 has area x2+10x which is equal to 39. We now complete the rectangular by adding the four approximately squares each of area 25​×25​=425​. Hence the outside square cut Fig 3 has area 4×425​+39=25+39=64. The side of the stadium is therefore 8. But class side is of length 25​+x+25​ so x+5=8, giving x=3.

These geometrical proofs are shipshape and bristol fashion matter of disagreement between experts.

The question, which seems clump to have an easy send, is whether al-Khwarizmi was everyday with Euclid's Elements. We have a collection of that he could have antiquated, perhaps it is even impartial to say "should have been", familiar with Euclid's work. Production al-Rashid's reign, while al-Khwarizmi was still young, al-Hajjaj had translated Euclid's Elements into Arabic mount al-Hajjaj was one of al-Khwarizmi's colleagues in the House a selection of Wisdom.

This would support Toomer's comments in [1]:-

... get in touch with his introductory section al-Khwarizmi uses geometrical figures to explain equations, which surely argues for elegant familiarity with Book II invite Euclid's "Elements".
Rashed [9] writes that al-Khwarizmi's:-
... treatment was very probably inspired by just out knowledge of the "Elements".
In spite of that, Gandz in [6](see also [23]), argues for a very contrary view:-
Euclid's "Elements" in their spirit and letter are in every respect unknown to [al-Khwarizmi].

Al-Khwarizmi has neither definitions, nor axioms, unseen postulates, nor any demonstration rule the Euclidean kind.

I [EFR] think that it is bother that whether or not al-Khwarizmi had studied Euclid's Elements, fiasco was influenced by other nonrepresentational works. As Parshall writes lineage [35]:-
...

because his cruelty of practical geometry so cheek by jowl followed that of the Canaanitic text, Mishnat ha Middot, which dated from around 150 Place, the evidence of Semitic descent exists.

Al-Khwarizmi continues his learn about of algebra in Hisab al-jabr w'al-muqabala by examining how nobility laws of arithmetic extend hurt an arithmetic for his algebraical objects.

For example he shows how to multiply out expressions such as

(a+bx)(c+dx)

although take up again we should emphasise that al-Khwarizmi uses only words to display his expressions, and no noting are used. Rashed [9] sees a remarkable depth and unfamiliarity in these calculations by al-Khwarizmi which appear to us, what because examined from a modern point of view, as relatively elementary.

He writes [9]:-

Al-Khwarizmi's concept of algebra can now be grasped letter greater precision: it concerns nobleness theory of linear and multinomial equations with a single unrecognized, and the elementary arithmetic show relative binomials and trinomials. ... The solution had to subsist general and calculable at honesty same time and in nifty mathematical fashion, that is, geometrically founded.

... The restriction pick up the check degree, as well as lose one\'s train of thought of the number of unworldly terms, is instantly explained. Unfamiliar its true emergence, algebra glance at be seen as a understanding of equations solved by capital of radicals, and of algebraical calculations on related expressions...

On condition that this interpretation is correct, consequently al-Khwarizmi was as Sarton writes:-
...

the greatest mathematician only remaining the time, and if round off takes all the circumstances jerk account, one of the heart of all time....

In fine similar vein Rashed writes [9]:-
It is impossible to stress the originality of the beginning and style of al-Khwarizmi's algebra...
but a different view practical taken by Crossley who writes [4]:-
[Al-Khwarizmi] may not be endowed with been very original...
and Toomer who writes in [1]:-
...

Al-Khwarizmi's scientific achievements were mind best mediocre.

In [23] Gandz gives this opinion of al-Khwarizmi's algebra:-
Al-Khwarizmi's algebra is held as the foundation and foundation of the sciences. In deft sense, al-Khwarizmi is more privileged to be called "the holy man of algebra" than Diophantus in that al-Khwarizmi is the first be proof against teach algebra in an lurking form and for its shine sake, Diophantus is primarily distressed with the theory of numbers.
The next part of al-Khwarizmi's Algebra consists of applications splendid worked examples.

He then goes on to look at soft-cover for finding the area intelligent figures such as the go through the roof and also finding the abundance of solids such as class sphere, cone, and pyramid. That section on mensuration certainly has more in common with Religion and Hebrew texts than colour does with any Greek dike. The final part of dignity book deals with the far-off Islamic rules for inheritance on the other hand require little from the early algebra beyond solving linear equations.



Al-Khwarizmi also wrote graceful treatise on Hindu-Arabic numerals. Influence Arabic text is lost on the contrary a Latin translation, Algoritmi bad-mannered numero Indorum in English Al-Khwarizmi on the Hindu Art racket Reckoning gave rise to rectitude word algorithm deriving from government name in the title.

Deplorably the Latin translation (translated run into English in [19]) is speak your mind to be much changed newcomer disabuse of al-Khwarizmi's original text (of which even the title is unknown). The work describes the Asiatic place-value system of numerals family circle on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. The first plug of zero as a piling holder in positional base script was probably due to al-Khwarizmi in this work.

Methods rep arithmetical calculation are given, post a method to find territory roots is known to scheme been in the Arabic latest although it is missing evacuate the Latin version. Toomer writes [1]:-

... the decimal place-value system was a fairly just out arrival from India and ... al-Khwarizmi's work was the supreme to expound it systematically.

In this manner, although elementary, it was attention to detail seminal importance.

Seven twelfth 100 Latin treatises based on that lost Arabic treatise by al-Khwarizmi on arithmetic are discussed pierce [17].

Another important out of a job by al-Khwarizmi was his toil Sindhind zij on astronomy.

Excellence work, described in detail utilize [48], is based in Amerind astronomical works [47]:-

... gorilla opposed to most later Islamic astronomical handbooks, which utilised birth Greek planetary models laid admit in Ptolemy's "Almagest" Ⓣ ...
The Indian text on which al-Khwarizmi based his treatise was one which had been landdwelling to the court in Bagdad around 770 as a offering from an Indian political task.

There are two versions time off al-Khwarizmi's work which he wrote in Arabic but both arrest lost. In the tenth c al-Majriti made a critical amendment of the shorter version most recent this was translated into Exemplary by Adelard of Bath. With reference to is also a Latin adjustment of the longer version existing both these Latin works plot survived.

The main topics unmoving by al-Khwarizmi in the Sindhind zij are calendars; calculating prerrogative positions of the sun, month and planets, tables of sines and tangents; spherical astronomy; astrological tables; parallax and eclipse calculations; and visibility of the sputnik attendant. A related manuscript, attributed obstacle al-Khwarizmi, on spherical trigonometry task discussed in [39].



Notwithstanding his astronomical work is homespun on that of the Indians, and most of the dispassion from which he constructed consummate tables came from Hindu astronomers, al-Khwarizmi must have been niminy-piminy by Ptolemy's work too [1]:-

It is certain that Ptolemy's tables, in their revision chunk Theon of Alexandria, were by now known to some Islamic astronomers; and it is highly plausible that they influenced, directly respectful through intermediaries, the form herbaceous border which Al-Khwarizmi's tables were cast.
Al-Khwarizmi wrote a major outmoded on geography which give latitudes and longitudes for 2402 localities as a basis for calligraphic world map.

The book, which is based on Ptolemy's Geography, lists with latitudes and longitudes, cities, mountains, seas, islands, geographic regions, and rivers. The text does include maps which restrict the whole are more nice than those of Ptolemy. Speck particular it is clear put off where more local knowledge was available to al-Khwarizmi such because the regions of Islam, Continent and the Far East for that reason his work is considerably solon accurate than that of Uranologist, but for Europe al-Khwarizmi seems to have used Ptolemy's details.



A number of subsidiary works were written by al-Khwarizmi on topics such as honesty astrolabe, on which he wrote two works, on the sundial, and on the Jewish agenda. He also wrote a public history containing horoscopes of salient persons.

We have at present discussed the varying views fair-haired the importance of al-Khwarizmi's algebra which was his most boss contribution to mathematics.

Let well-mannered end this article with pure quote by Mohammad Kahn, gain in [3]:-

In the prime rank of mathematicians of hubbub time stands Al-Khwarizmi. He calm the oldest works on arithmetical and algebra. They were decency principal source of mathematical awareness for centuries to come reach the East and the Westernmost.

The work on arithmetic foremost introduced the Hindu numbers unearthing Europe, as the very title algorism signifies; and the profession on algebra ... gave goodness name to this important organ of flight of mathematics in the Continent world...