al-Karaji

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al-Karaji

953-c. 1029

Arab mathematician whose Al-Fakhri was an important work in the development of algebra. Al-Karaji, sometimes known as al-Karkhi, has been credited with developing the first theory of algebraic calculus. Al-Fakhri, which shows the influence of Diophantus (c. 200-c. 284), defines and gives rules for a number of monomials; examines "composite quantities" (sums of monomials); and makes use of mathematical induction. The book also includes a binomial theorem akin to that used in the Pascal triangle.

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