what is the history of algebra?

Answer 1

Algebra comes from an Arabic word. However, certain developments in math were necessary for algebra to happen. First was the use of zero and the realization that you could have negative numbers. The notation for algebra developed in the late 17th century, and also many of the math concepts in algebra developed in the 17th and 18th century. For example, the binomial theorm was a result of work by Pascal in the early 17th century ( he was hired by gamblers to understand the game of dice mathematically). Other advances were made by Decartes and Newton, but they were not in the pay of gamblers. The concept of logarithms and the concept of "e" also occured in the time, mainly by Napier.

Answer 2

The word algebra comes from the name of a book (Al-Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala ) by Muhammad bin Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. Eventually the book found its way to Europe, but unfortunately, the Europeans had a problem with pronouncing his name, so it ended up as Algebra.
Before this though, the Babylonian, the Eygptians, the Greeks etc. had already discovered some of the algebraic rules and number systems that we know of today.

Answer 3

Here are some of the links related to the history of algebra.......