Questions tagged [algebra]
36 questions
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Who discovered the rational root theorem?
As the title says, I would like to know who discovered the rational root theorem. The Encyclopaedia Britannica states that “The 17th-century French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes is usually credited with devising the test”, but I was…
José Carlos Santos
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How did Bombelli transform $\sqrt[3]{2\pm11\sqrt{-1}}$ into $2\pm\sqrt{-1}$?
The story of Bombelli solving the equation $x^3=15x+4$ in L'Algebra and introducing $\sqrt{-1}$ is well known. The equation, having obvious root $x=4$, is solved using Cardano's…
Adrien
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When did usage of the word polynomial become standard?
When did (cognates of) the word polynomial become standard in mathematical writing for expressions like $x^2 -x + 1$ and $ax^2 + bxy + cy^2$?
In the 3rd edition of an 1822 English translation by Rev. John Hewlett of a French edition of Euler's…
Stan
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Can any one person be credited with "inventing" algebra?
I have been told by a computer scientist that most people in that field believe that algebra was invented (along with algorithms) by the 9th century mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. (I have no idea what most mathematicians believe about…
sph
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Egypt pefsu problem
Looking at the pefsu problem of the Moscow Mathematical Papyrus here I don't understand why the algorithm takes $1/2$ of the calculated grain measure to produce beer. Why aren't the $5$ heqats multiplied by $4$ to get $20$ quantities of beer which…
Michael Munta
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