The words algebra, alfalfa, alcohol, and a number of others, many beginning with al- but not all, come into english from the arabic via spanish ... so that's certainly evidence of lively scientific minds at that time .... btw, i was always taught that the arabs invented the concept of zero, never heard of this Cardano guy -
'What is Taught: The concept that numbers could be less than zero, that is negative numbers, was unknown until 1545 when Geronimo Cardano introduced the idea.
What Should he Taught: Muslim mathematicians introduced negative numbers for use in a variety of arithmetic functions at least 400 years prior to Cardano.'
... so, while i don't remember being told, i would rather have assumed that the concept of negative numbers would go along with that part and parcel, and that of the decimal point as well, since the zero opens you up to the idea, and it's not that great a step[?] ... so anyway, i find this quite credible -
'What is Taught: The use of decimal fractions in mathematics was first developed by a Dutchman, Simon Stevin, in 1589. He helped advance the mathematical sciences by replacing the cumbersome fractions, for instance, 1/2, with decimal fractions, for example, 0.5.
What Should be Taught: Muslim mathematicians were the first to utilize decimals instead of fractions on a large scale. Al-Kashi's book, Key to Arithmetic, was written at the beginning of the 15th century and was the stimulus for the systematic application of decimals to whole numbers and fractions thereof. It is highly probably that Stevin imported the idea to Europe from al-Kashi's work. '
Now for a start on some political development eh ... before the zionists take all the land .. |
