Science & technology

Birth of Muḥammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi

780 CE

Muḥammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was born in 780 CE in Khwarazm. A Persian mathematician, astronomer and geographer, al-Khwarizmi worked in Baghdad at the House of Wisdom under the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun. His book on calculation by completion and balancing, Al-jabr, gave its name to algebra and set out methods for solving linear and quadratic equations. A second work introduced the Indian decimal place-value system, using the numerals now called Hindu-Arabic, to the Islamic world and later to Europe, and the word algorithm comes from the Latin form of his name. He also compiled astronomical tables and improved on Ptolemy's geography.

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This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 8th century.