The history of the emergence of algebra and its development

The history of the emergence of algebra has its roots in antiquity. Obviously, its appearance was caused and directly related to the first astronomical and other calculations, somehow using natural numbers and arithmetic operations. The history of the emergence of algebra is confirmed by similar original records found among the samples of the writing of the earliest civilizations. For example, the Egyptians and Babylonians were already able to solve the simplest equations of the first and second degrees, square equations. But their calculations were strictly practical. The history of the emergence of algebra, as a theoretical science, leads us to ancient Greece. It was here in the IV century that the first work appeared, which was a direct study of abstract algebraic questions. It was a treatise of the thinker Diophantus. Here the simplest algebraic axioms are clearly defined: the rules of signs (minus the minus-plus, and so on), examples of fairly complex problems, the study of numerical degrees, the solution of questions related to number theory, and so on. Unfortunately, this is the only work that came to us from gray-haired ancient times, and even then not in full.

Arabic mathematics

With the collapse of ancient civilization under the onslaught of barbarian peoples, many of its achievements are lost too. Including the history of algebra interrupts its development among European peoples for a whole millennium. Since the 7th century, the center of many sciences, and mathematics and medicine in particular, has become the Muslim East. Actually, the very word "algebra", as it is believed today, comes from the title of the treatise of the Arab scholar Al-Khwarizmi "Al-jabo-al-mukaballah", which translated as "the doctrine of relations, permutations and decisions." Interestingly, from the very name of this mathematician, some scholars derive the etymology of the word "algorithm". Be that as it may, but it is the Arab world that for many centuries becomes the beacon of science. At the same time, Eastern followers obviously relied on some Greek achievements. In any case, it is known that they knew the works of ancient mathematicians. On the one hand, the Muslims really deserve credit Preservation for the world of the ancient algebraic heritage, but at the same time, for several centuries they have not made any significant new discoveries in the development of this science. Mathematics was studied, but not perfected.

Mathematics and other civilizations

It is interesting that the history of the emergence of algebra is not at all confined to Europe and has a connection with Arab civilization. Thus, Indian mathematicians have achieved significant results in this science. In particular, they introduced the concept of "zero", which later came to Europe through the Arab world and was used by scientists. The Chinese are completely independent, even at the dawn of our era, learned to solve first-degree equations. Irrational and negative numbers were known to them.

Europe returns leadership

The interrupted history of the development of algebra begins again in the New Times. The first work after the treatise of Diophantus is the work of a merchant from Italy Leonardo, who became acquainted with arithmetic and algebra, traveling east. The gradual disintegration of feudalism, and with it the church scholasticism and dogmatics, the unhurried pace of capitalism and the desire for territorial discoveries led to the revival of all scientific branches on the continent. And after a couple of centuries, Europe again becomes the foremost scientific and technical region.