Did you know that the name algorithm comes from the name of Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi?
An algorithm is a set of rules or instructions used in calculations and problem-solving operations. Algorithms date back to 300 BC when their inscriptions were found on Babylonian clay tablets. Originally, they were marking schemes which the common people used to keep track of their cattle and stocks of grain.
The name algorithm comes from the name of Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi who wrote a book on Hindu-Arabic numerals. The Arabic work was translated into Latin as “Algoritmi de numero Indorum.” and later into English, “Concerning the Hindu art of Reckoning.”
Algorithms became a significant part of mathematics laying the foundation for the algebra of logic, variables in calculations, greatest common divisor, approximation of Pi, prime numbers, etc.
The modern algorithm is a sequence of steps laid down to fulfil a particular task. British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing worked out how a machine could follow algorithmic instructions and solve complex mathematical problems. Thus began the computer age. Now algorithms are used in all major applications in information technology including navigation (GPS), shopping and internet searches.
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