The History of the Algorithm
Algorithms represent a set of rules, often utilizing charts with shapes and arrows, for completing a task or solving a problem. They've evolved over centuries to benefit not just mathematics, but many areas of society.
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Word Origin
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It's hard to see how, but the word "algorithm" came from the name of Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwariszmi, a ninth century, Persian mathematician. "Algorism" originally referred to arithmetical notation using Hindu-Arabic numerals. By the 18th century, "algorism" evolved into "algorithm" via the Latin translation of Al-Khwarizmi's name, reports Scriptol.com.
Mathematical Functions
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Al-Khwarizmi designed basic, precise rules for adding, multiplying and dividing numbers. These efficient, mechanical rule sets could extract square roots and calculate digits of pi, S. Dasgupta, C.H. Papadimitriou, and U.V. Vazirani
point out in their book, "Algorithms."
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Benefits to Civilization
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Since Al-Khwarizmi's time, algorithms have played a progressive role in Western civilization, to forward science and technology, as well as benefit industry and commerce. As computers and data processing developed, algorithms began to embody the positional system in its bits, words and arithmetic unit, say Dasgupta, Papadimitriou and Vazirani.
Today
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The design of algorithms stands as a centerpiece for computer science and information systems programmers. Energy exploration, financial management, entertainment, musical composition, and medicine all benefit from algorithmic procedures, according to the MusicAlgorithms website.
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References
Resources
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