Algebra

Algebra is the branch of mathematics that deals with numbers and their relations, properties of operations and the structures these operations are defined on. Elementary Algebra that follows the study of arithmetic is mostly occupied with operations on sets of whole and rational numbers and solving first and second order equations. The word "algebra" is a shortened misspelled transliteration of an Arabic title al–jebr w’al–muqabalah by the Persian mathematician known as al–Khowarismi. The al–jebr part means "reunion of broken parts", the second part al–muqabalah translates as "to place in front of, to balance, to oppose, to set equal. " Together they describe symbol manipulations common in algebra: combining like terms, moving a term to the other side of an equation, etc. Robert Recorde (c. 1510–1558), the inventor of the symbol "=" of equality, was the first to use the term algebra in its mathematical meaning. An important development in algebra that took place in the 16thcentury was the introduction of symbols for the unknown and for algebraic powers. The history of algebra began in ancient Egypt and Babylon, where people learned to solve linear (ax = b) and quadratic (ax 2 + bx = c) equations, as well as indeterminate equations such as x 2 + y 2 = z 2. The Hindus recognised that quadratic equations have two roots and included negative as well as irrational roots.