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Islamic mathematics and the invention of algebra
Description
Marcus du Sautoy visits Fez, where the ancient Islamic school of wisdom was founded, and where Mahommed ben Musa al-Khwarizmi wrote his 鈥榣m al-jebr wa鈥檒-muqabala鈥 calculation by restoration or reduction. Du Sautoy explains why algebra is so important in moving towards general proofs, using an example of square numbers.
Classroom Ideas
A good enrichment clip, or introduction to any work on algebra, explaining where it came from and why it is so useful.
Impact of Mathematics on the world
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