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Sunday, July 27, 2025

Bite-sized Fun Fact - Algebra

Thousands of Arabic words and Arabic-derived phrases have been absorbed into the Spanish language. Words beginning with “al,” for example, are derived from Arabic. Arabic words such as algebra, alcohol, chemistry, nadir, and alkaline have all entered the Spanish language.

The word "algebra" originates from the Arabic word "al-jabr" (الجبر), which translates to "the reunion of broken parts" or "restoration". This term is derived from the title of a famous book by the Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, "Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala" (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing). The book is considered a foundational text in the development of algebraic theory. In the context of the book, "al-jabr" referred to the process of simplifying equations by moving terms from one side to the other and combining like terms.

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