Muḥammad al-Khwārizmi — Persian mathematician
Published on November 13, 2025
Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmi (c. 780–850 CE) was a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and scholar at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. His work introduced systematic methods for solving equations and gave mathematics a new language, algebra, from his book Al-Kitāb al-Mukhtaṣar fī Ḥisāb al-Jabr wal-Muqābala. His writings on arithmetic and astronomy helped transfer ancient Greek and Indian knowledge into the Islamic and later European worlds.
Key Contributions
- Founded the field of algebra, giving it its name and structure
- Developed algorithms that shaped modern computation
- Advanced astronomical tables and geographic coordinates
Why it matters now:
Al-Khwārizmi’s approach to problem-solving laid the groundwork for how computers think. The word “algorithm” itself comes from his name, linking him directly to today’s computer science, data analysis, and AI development. His blend of logic and precision continues to define how we process information, calculate risk, and model the world through mathematics.
Al-Khwārizmi’s approach to problem-solving laid the groundwork for how computers think. The word “algorithm” itself comes from his name, linking him directly to today’s computer science, data analysis, and AI development. His blend of logic and precision continues to define how we process information, calculate risk, and model the world through mathematics.