Who inveted algebra?

Answer 1

Arabic scholar Al-Khwarizmi (c. 780 - c. 850) visited

India and collected mathematical material for his book

"Ilm al-jabr wa'd muqabalah". He sold his book to the

Romans. The source of the English word algebra was

aljabr which in Arabic means 'the equating'. His name

became the word 'algorism', the old word for

arithmetic. The same word was the root for 'Algorithm'

used in computing. Through his writings, the decimal

system and the use of zero were transmitted to the

west. Algebra was known to Indians long before

Brahmagupta (ca. 598-ca. 665).

Al-Khwarizmi's algebra is regarded as the foundation and cornerstone of the sciences. In a sense, al-Khwarizmi is more entitled to be called "the father of algebra" than Diophantus because al-Khwarizmi is the first to teach algebra in an elementary form and for its own sake, while Diophantus is primarily concerned with the theory of numbers.