Does anyone know the root of algebra? I’ve been trying to research this using google, which gives sources, but I haven’t really found an answer.
What is it that drove the creation (or discovery) of Algebra? Yes, Algebra is about finding a solution for an unknown variable in an equation, but what does that mean? What sort of reality is it trying to describe? For example, Differential Calculus was created (so I’m told) to figure out the slope of any given point on a curve. Integral Calculus was created to figure out the area under a curve.
Then again, what really is a curve? Is there any reality that the Cartesian coordinate system is supposed to represent?
I think this may require a pipe-and-pint night, and some really good book on the philosophy of mathematics.
That’s an interesting question. I know the term ‘algebra’ came from some Indian mathematicians’ book _al jabr_, which was an early text on dealing with unknowns. But I think there was earlier algebraic work by the Greeks, maybe Diophantus with his Diophantine equations. Surely some fellow regularly had to calculate some particular unknown for some particular application, and then was inspired to abstract it. Maybe if Diophantus was near the beginning of algebra, then he was merely inspired not by a concrete problem, but by general number theory work or something. Like group theory and such I don’t think was inspired by any particular concrete application, but by axiomatic theories and such. I don’t really know.
An ale-and-algebra night. :-)
I’ve only read one book on the philosophy of mathematics, but it was sensational. The Mathematical Experience, by Philip Davis and Reuben Hersh.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395929687/
Amazing book.
It’d be a pity if it took more than one pint, wouldn’t it? Shame.
Algebra was developed to give kids that can’t read, discuss, debate, dialogue or conjugate verbs a way to feel good about themselves between third and fifth periods.