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Al-Khawarizmi, the inventor of logarithms. Al-Khawarizmi is a Muslim mathematician and astronomer who contributed to many achievements. One of his most brilliant achievements was his introduction of the Hindu-Arabic numbers, and his introduction of the concept of algebra into mathematics in European countries, so much so that the Latin version of his name and the name of his most famous book are found in the terminology of algebra after him.

 

Al-Khawarizmi, the inventor of logarithms

Al-Khawarizmi, the inventor of logarithms

The scholar Muhammad bin Musa Al-Khawarizmi was born in 780 AD in Iraq in the capital, Baghdad. Others indicate that the name Al-Khwarizmi indicates that he was born in the town of Khawarazm, located south of the Aral Sea in Central Asia, and then moved to the capital, Baghdad.

Al-Khawarizmi’s upbringing and education

He grew up in Baghdad in a Persian family, and during his youth, he worked at the House of Wisdom under the succession of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma’mun, as Al-Khawarizmi and his companions from the Banu Musa were among the scholars of the House of Wisdom, which had a great influence on the flourishing of his knowledge. Dar Al-Hekma was famous at that time for translating and publishing scientific and philosophical treatises and books, especially Greek-origin books.

Al-Khawarizmi and his companions studied algebra, geometry, and astronomy at Dar Al-Hikma. Al-Khawarizmi dedicated two treatises on algebra and astronomy that he had written to Caliph Al-Ma’mun, who was very interested in science and scholars.

Al-Khawarizmi's most important achievements

Mathematics:

• Al-Khawarizmi was the first to invent the concept of logarithms, or what are known as algorithms. It is the science that works to solve various complex problems and is still used today, which is why some have called it the grandfather of computer science.

• Al-Khawarizmi was known for being responsible for introducing Western civilization to Arabic numerals, and their use of nine digits. Al-Khwarizmi also invented the number zero.

• Al-Khawarizmi made many improvements to the theory and construction of sundials, as he created schedules for these devices to shorten the time needed to perform certain calculations.

• Al-Khawarizmi's sundials were universal, meaning they could be used anywhere on Earth, and from that time sundials began to be placed in mosques to help determine the times of the five daily prayers.

• In the ninth century, Al-Khawarizmi invented a machine called the tangent box, which works to determine the linear height of objects and their angular observations.

• Al-Khawarizmi's invention of the quadrilateral instrument contributed to determining time by determining the position of the sun and moons, and this instrument was at that time the second most widely used astronomical instrument and instrument at the time.

Algebra:

• He wrote many theses on the science of algebra, one of the most important and most famous of all his works was the treatise (Arithmetic of Algebra and Muqabala), as this thesis was the beginning of introducing the world to the science of algebra and the concept of the word algebra, and this thesis is considered the first treatise written in the world related to the science of algebra.

• Al-Khawarizmi wrote a book called (The Short Book on Calculation of Algebra and Muqabala), which was translated into Latin in the 12th century, and in which he talks about all of the following:

• The concept, significance, rules, and applications of algebra.

• How to use algebra to solve various inheritance problems according to the teachings of Islamic law.

• This book contains traces of mathematical works dating back to the Babylonians through Hellenistic, Hebrew, and Hindu treatises.

• The book also includes solving hundreds of quadratic equations and methods for dividing land plots.

Trigonometry:

• He composed trigonometric tables containing the sine coefficient, which were later used to help construct the tangent coefficient.

• Al-Khawarizmi mastered the geometric representation of conic sections, which led him to arrive at the concept of differential science.

Astronomy:

• Contribute to writing the calendar.

• He worked to calculate the correct and accurate position of the sun, moon, and various planets.

• He contributed to writing the sine and tangent tables.

• He worked on spherical astronomy, calculating solar eclipses and seeing the moon.

• He wrote the book Sindh Hind (Zij al-sind-hind) on astronomy with other scholars.

• Astronomical tables authored by Al-Khawarizmi were derived from Latin and Hindu sources and references. These tables included sine tables and the use of a circle with a radius equal to 150 units. These tables were translated into Latin.

• Al-Khawarizmi wrote about the astrological signs of prominent people of the time.

Geography:

• He reorganized and corrected Ptolemy's treatises on geography using his discoveries and research.

• He wrote the book The Path of the Earth, which collected Ptolemy's research. Unfortunately, the original maps were not preserved, but scholars and researchers were able to recover the content of these maps through Al-Khawarizmi's existing summaries.

• Participate in calculating the latitude and longitude of the Earth.

• Al-Khawarizmi worked to supervise 70 geographical works in a project aimed at drawing a map of the Earth as it was known at the time, and when his works were translated and transported to European countries, they had a great impact on the cultural and scientific development of life in the West.

Father of algebra

Al-Khawarizmi is considered one of the most prominent scholars who represented Arabs and Muslims in the Middle Ages. He worked at Dar Al-Hikmah in his youth by translating books and theses in different languages, which revived Al-Khawarizmi scientifically and led him to begin writing his theses and books.

The thesis on algebra arithmetic and the interview in which he presented to the world at the time a new science called algebra are among the most important theses of Al-Khawarizmi. Al-Khawarizmi was called the father of algebra, a science that contributed to the formation and building of the modern era as we know it now.

Al-Khawarizmi's most important works

Algebra calculation and interview: It is one of the most important and first works of Al-Khawarizmi in the science of algebra, in which he revealed to the whole world the existence of the science of algebra.

Al-Khawarizmi regarding the Hindu art of arithmetic: In the 12th century AD, Al-Khawarizmi introduced the Hindu-Arabic number system and related calculations to the Western world. These works were preserved in Latin only in a book called (Algoritmi de numero Indorum). In these works, Al-Khawarizmi introduced the concept of the word logarithm.

Earth image book: In this book, Al-Khawarizmi presented the coordinates for the locations currently in the world, with the help of Ptolemy’s findings of geography. However, Al-Khawarizmi worked to improve and modify some of the information that Ptolemy had written, which related to the length of the Mediterranean Sea, and the locations of some cities in Asia and Africa.

Book of astronomical tables in Sindh and India: This book specialized in astronomy, and Al-Khawarizmi presented tables relating to the movement of the sun, the moon, and the five planets that were known at the time. The book consists of 37 chapters in which he explains the calendar and astronomical calculations. It also contains 116 tables containing calendar, astronomical, and astrological data.

Al-Khawarizmi's death

Al-Khawarizmi died in 850 AD in Iraq, at the age of 80, and he was known as one of the most influential and accomplished scientific minds in the Arab world. However, the biography of the mathematician Al-Khawarizmi and his extensive achievements remain the focus of attention of scholars and researchers to this day, and scholars continue to be interested in his writings. And his achievements.

In 1126 AD, the scientist Adelard of Bath translated the astronomical and trigonometric tables of Al-Khawarizmi into Latin. The American-Lebanese professor Philip Khuri, a professor at Princeton and Harvard universities, also wrote about Al-Khawarizmi and described him as one of the greatest minds in the world. The Arab Muslim world influenced the way mathematics was viewed more than any other medieval world.

Great contributions

The scientist Al-Khawarizmi contributed to many different fields and sciences. He excelled in astronomy, mathematics, and geography. He worked on correcting Ptolemy’s maps, entered into a project to draw a map of the Earth, and contributed to writing the calendar, calculating solar eclipses, and determining time accurately. He also contributed to the construction of the sundial that was placed in every mosque at that time to help determine the times of the five prayers. Al-Khawarizmi wrote many works that are still in use to this day.

Al-Khawarizmi died at the age of approximately 80 years, but his books and conclusions are still the focus of attention of science and scholars until now, the present day.