Al-Khwarizmi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī
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A stamp issued 6 September 1983 in the Soviet Union, to celebrate roughly 1200 years since al-Khwārizmī's birth
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| Born | c. 780 |
| Died | c. 850 |
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī (Persian: محمد بن موسى خوارزمی, Arabic: محمد بن موسى الخوارزمي) was a brilliant Persian Muslim mathematician and astronomer. He was born around 780 AD and passed away around 850 AD. This was during the time of the Abbasid Empire. Al-Khwārizmī's work greatly changed how people understood math. His ideas are still important today!
Contents
A Master of Mathematics
Al-Khwārizmī was famous for the books he wrote. One of his most important books was about algebra. It was called Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing. This book helped introduce the world to the subject of algebra.
The Power of Numbers
He also wrote a book that taught the Western world about Hindu numerals. These are the numbers we use every day (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). His book showed people how to use these numbers. It was later called the Hindu Art of Reckoning.
Before al-Khwārizmī's work, many people in Europe used Roman numerals (like I, V, X). Roman numerals are harder to use for complex math. They don't have a number for zero, and they don't have "place values." This means the position of a number doesn't change its value. For example, in Roman numerals, X is always 10, no matter where it is. But in our numbers, the '1' in 10 is different from the '1' in 100. Al-Khwārizmī's books helped people switch to the easier Arabic numeral system.
Where Words Come From
Al-Khwārizmī's book on algebra was titled Al-Jabr Wal' Muqibla. The word "algebra" actually comes from the word "al-jabr" from his book's title!
His books were translated into other languages like Greek and Latin. People in Europe started calling his books "So said Algorizmi." The word "algorithm" comes from "Algorizmi." An algorithm is a set of steps or rules to solve a problem. Think of it like a recipe for math!
Working at the House of Wisdom
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī worked at a famous place called the House of Wisdom. This was a big library and research center in Baghdad. Many smart people worked there, translating scientific books from different languages. They also did their own research in math, science, and astronomy.
Mapping the Stars and Earth
Besides math, al-Khwārizmī also created detailed astronomical tables. These tables were like guides to the sky. They helped people calculate where planets would be and predict eclipses. He also worked on geography, helping to create maps of the world.
Images for kids
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A page from al-Khwārizmī's Algebra
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Algorists vs. abacists, depicted in a sketch from 1508 CE
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Page from Corpus Christi College MS 283. A Latin translation of al-Khwārizmī's Zīj.
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Daunicht's reconstruction of the section of al-Khwārizmī's world map concerning the Indian Ocean.
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A 15th-century version of Ptolemy's Geography for comparison.
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Earliest extant map of the Nile, in al-Khwārazmī's Kitāb ṣūrat al- arḍ
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A stamp issued 6 September 1983 in the Soviet Union, commemorating al-Khwārizmī's (approximate) 1200th birthday.
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Statue of Al-Khwārizmī in Uzbekistan.
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See also
In Spanish: Al-Juarismi para niños
