ASSIGNMENT 5:

Discuss the contributions of Islamic Mathematics.

The ninth and tenth century may be called as the Golden Age of Islamic mathematics. The world
owe a lot from these Muslim mathematicians who helped preserve and make possible the
transmission of Greek mathematics that would otherwise have been lost. Islamic Mathematics
become more enthusiastic as soon as the Muslims were apprised of the Greek and Hindu sources.
The contributions of Islamic mathematics are:
a)

Arithmetic
Al-Khawarizimis arithmetical work possibly entitled Kitab Al-Jam Wal-Tafreiq Bi-

Hisab Al-Hind (Book of Addition and Subtraction by the Method of Calculation) . This book was
written after he had composed his other reputed work, the Algebra. Al-Khawarizmi made no
claim to invent the decimal system but subsequent Latin translations of his work become known
as Alchwarizmi, Al-Karismi, Algoritmi, Algorismi, and etc. European scholars linked him to the
new arithmetic that finally became the scheme of numeration and making use of Arabic
numerals called algorithm.
This work of Al-Khawarizmi is important because it was the first to systematically use
the Arabic numerals 1 to 9, he does also make use of zero (0) and the place value system
(Burton, 2003). It dealt with sets of rules necessary to work with Arabic numerals and also
explained the four basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The
treatise also dealt with both common and sexagesimal fractions and also the extraction of square
root.
The most significance contributions of Al-Khawarizmi not other than of the digit zero. 3
and 30 is different value because of the existence of zero. This zero provide an infinite variety of
values. Without the zero it is necessary to have tables consisting of columns of units, tens,
hundreds or thousands in order to keep the digits in their proper scale. Zero is not just a symbol
signifying an empty space in a series of numbers which we known as a small circle is actually

one of the worlds greatest mathematical innovation. It also contributes for the entire concepts of
positive and negative numbers.
Beside Al-Khawarizmi, Al-Karagi also contributed in arithmetic. His works, Al-Kafi AlHisab (The Needs of Arithmetic) explained about the method for calculation and also Al-Fakhri.
Al-Karagi defined the goal of science of calculation as the determination of unknown
magnitusdes with the help of those that were unknown (Dalmedic & Peiffer, 2010).

b)

Algebra
Kitab al-Jabr wal-Muqabalah known as the Book of Restoring and Balancing have

propose a theory or law in linear and quadratic(Esposito, 2004). The title al-Jabr wal
Muqabalah refers to the technique of moving negative terms of an equation to the other side, aljabr while muqabalah refers to cancelation of equal terms on both sides. This is the source of
our word algebra. Al-Khawarizmi supposedly entitled as Father of Algebra and not Diofantus,
Yunani Mathematicians. Scholar of western, Grandz (1936) said that Al-Khawizmis algebra is
the pathway and bench marks for algebra because Al-khawarizmi is the first person to teach
algebra while Diofantuss only focusing to theory of number (Shaharir, 1989). Al-Khowarizimi
treatments is a step back, compared to Diophantus work on Arithmetic in the third century AD.
Indeed, Diophantus used for a square and K for a square of an unknown, so that would
be the forth power.
Algebra became popular in the West at the beginning of the 12 th Century when European
scholars started translating Arabic works into Latin. His works had been use as references to
other Mathematicians such as Leornando Pisa, Roger Bacon, Vincent de Besuvais, Albertus
Magnus and many more. The concepts of algebra that had been introduced by Al-Khawarizmi:
i.

root equal numbers (bx = c)

ii.

mal equal root (ax2 = bx)

iii.

mal equals number (ax2 = c)

iv.

number and mal equal root (c + ax2 = bx)

v.

number equals root and mal (c = bx + ax2 )

vi.

mal equals number and root (ax2 = c + bx)

second great Arabic writers on Algebra. His book Kitab Fil-Jabr Wal Muqabalah known as
Book of Algebra is an elaboration of Al-Khawarizmis work. The algebraic calculation of his had
already attained a rather elevated degree of abstraction. Although he remained attached for
geometric form of the Greeks but he also renounced the classical need for homogeneity of
dimension which Al-Khawarizmi still respected (Dalmedic & Peiffer, 2010).
The major advance of Abu Kamil is in his use of irrational coeffiecients in indeterminate
equations and the introduction of irrational solutions for some quadratics is another point of
departure from the foundations work of Al-Khawarizmi (Burton, 2003).
Al-Karaghi also contribute to theory of number and algebra. In solution of quadratic
equations, he gave evidence in the form of arithmetic and geometry and also the use of positive
rational number (Amin, 1988).

c)

Geometry
According to Ali Ketani , Al-Khindi was a first scholar that develop geometrical sphere

that explain about modern topology concept which show how sphere can be laid by
homeomorphism (Shaharir, 1989). Al-Khindi had shown that the body of our universal system
was sphere, earth must in the shape of sphere and there is a possibilities that the surface of water
also in the shape of sphere.
Ibnu Al-Haytham had developed analytical geometry by produced relationship between
algebra and geometry (Amin, 1988).He also managed to demonstrate that of two regular
polygons inscribed in the same circle, that with the great number of sides has the greater area and
the greater perimeter.
Al-Khayyam contributed in geometric solutions, he indicated that in the case of cubic
equations and the use of geometric constructions in algebra led to a classification of algebraic

curves and is closely connected to the development of analytic geometry (Dalmedic & Peiffer,
2010).

d)

Trigonometry
Al-Biruni famous with his work Qanun al-Masudi. In Qanun al-Masudi,about the

value of

. Value of

that we used until today is one of Al-Birunis contributions. He

shown few justification about changing irrational number

162861471
518400000

which come out as

3.1417482 (Mohaini, 2000). He calculates the tangent tables from those of sines by using the

formulae

tan =

tan =

sin
cos

He also found sec, cosec, sine, dan cosine based on the formulae

sin
cos .

Nasir al-Din introduced the Sine Law relative to plane triangles to provide a basic tool in
solving related problems. He also gave the proof of Sine Law and demonstrated its application in
finding unknown parts of triangles from known ones (Mohaini, 2000). The Sine Law was
a
sin A

systematically.

b
sin B

c
= sinC

. He used this theorem to solve all possible triangles

References

Amin, S. (1988). SUMBANGAN ISLAM DALAM BIDANG MATEMATIK. Kuala Lumpur:

Burton, D.M. (2003). The History of Mathematics: An Introduction. (5th ed.). New York:
McGraw Hill.

Dalmedico, A.D., & Peiffer, J. ( 2010). History of Mathematics: Highways and Byways. United
States of America: The Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

Esposito,J.L. (2004) . SAINS-SAINS ISLAM. Jakarta: Inisiasi Press.

Mohaini, M. (2000). Great Muslim Methamaticians. Johor : Penerbit Universiti Teknologi

Shaharir.M.Z. (1989) . TAMADUN ISLAM DALAM SAINS DAN TEKNOLOGI. Malaysia: