algebra
UK[ˈældʒɪbrə]US[ˈældʒəbrə]
n
A branch of mathematics in which letters and symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formulae and equations.
n
A system of algebra based on given axioms.
Morpheme Breakdown
al
gebra
al
the
gebra
Etymology
The word 'algebra' entered English via Medieval Latin from the title of a foundational Arabic mathematical treatise, "al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wa’l-muqābalah" (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing). The key term "al-jabr", referring to the surgical restoration of broken bones or the mathematical operation of completing equations, was borrowed with its definite article "al-" attached. This literal sense of "restoration" or "reunion" logically evolved into the modern abstract meaning of a mathematical system that restores balance to equations by manipulating symbols. The term reflects the profound transmission of knowledge from the Islamic world to medieval Europe, where the Latin "algebra" came to denote the entire discipline.
Analysis
Structure: al + gebra
- al (Arabic): The Arabic definite article "al-", meaning "the".
- gebra (Arabic): From the Arabic word "jabr", meaning "reunion of broken parts" or "restoration".
Examples
Students must study algebra before they can take calculus.
The problem was solved using a complex piece of Boolean algebra.
He struggled to understand the basic concepts of linear algebra.