On the ancient origin of the word “algorithm”

Fascinating quote from page XXXIII of Peter Bernstein’s 1996 book “Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk” (cf. https://www.amazon.com/Against-Gods-Remarkable-Story-Risk/dp/0471295639/):

“The earliest known work in Arabic arithmetic was written by al­Khowarizmi, a mathematician who lived around 825, some four hun­dred years before Fibonacci. Although few beneficiaries of his work are likely to have heard of him, most of us know of him indirectly. Try saying “al­Khowarizmi” fast. That’s where we get the word “algo­rithm,” which means rules for computing.”

Note: The book cover shown above is a copy of a 1633 oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt van Rijn.

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