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We think of an algorithm as something new,
We
think
of
an
algorithm
as
something
new
but the term actually dates back about 900 years.
but
the
term
actually
dates
back
about
900
years
The word algorithm comes from the name
The
word
algorithm
comes
from
the
name
of a Persian mathematical genius, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi.
of
a
Persian
mathematical
genius
Muhammad
ibn
Musa
al-Khwarizmi
He was born around 780 AD in the region now known as Uzbekistan.
He
was
born
around
780
AD
in
the
region
now
known
as
Uzbekistan
His name suggests he came from Khwarizm.
His
name
suggests
he
came
from
Khwarizm
Known as al-Khwarizmi, he was director in the House of Wisdom,
Known
as
al-Khwarizmi
he
was
director
in
the
House
of
Wisdom
an intellectual centre for scholars in 9th Century Baghdad.
an
intellectual
centre
for
scholars
in
9th
Century
Baghdad
He made innovative contributions to mathematics, astronomy,
He
made
innovative
contributions
to
mathematics
astronomy
geography and cartography,
geography
and
cartography
and wrote an influential book called
and
wrote
an
influential
book
called
Concerning the Hindu Art of Reckoning.
Concerning
the
Hindu
Art
of
Reckoning
300 years later, the book was rediscovered
300
years
later
the
book
was
rediscovered
and translated into Latin.
and
translated
into
Latin
It introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to the West,
It
introduced
Hindu-Arabic
numerals
to
the
West
which eventually replaced the unwieldy Roman ones.
which
eventually
replaced
the
unwieldy
Roman
ones
The Hindu-Arabic number system, along with the decimal point,
The
Hindu-Arabic
number
system
along
with
the
decimal
point
both described by al-Khwarizmi in his book, are the basis of the numbers
both
described
by
al-Khwarizmi
in
his
book
are
the
basis
of
the
numbers
we use throughout the world today.
we
use
throughout
the
world
today
Al-Khwarizmi's name, when Latinised in the title of the book,
Al-Khwarizmi's
name
when
Latinised
in
the
title
of
the
book
became algoritmi.
became
algoritmi
And this is the origin of the word algorithm.
And
this
is
the
origin
of
the
word
algorithm
We also have al-Khwarizmi to thank for the word algebra,
We
also
have
al-Khwarizmi
to
thank
for
the
word
algebra
which comes from another of his works.
which
comes
from
another
of
his
works
His books revolutionised mathematics in the West,
His
books
revolutionised
mathematics
in
the
West
showing how complex problems
showing
how
complex
problems
could be broken down into simpler parts and solved.
could
be
broken
down
into
simpler
parts
and
solved
In medieval Latin, algorismus simply meant the decimal number system.
In
medieval
Latin
algorismus
simply
meant
the
decimal
number
system
By the 13th Century, it had become an English word and was used,
By
the
13th
Century
it
had
become
an
English
word
and
was
used
for example, by Chaucer.
for
example
by
Chaucer
But it wasn't until the late 19th Century
But
it
wasn't
until
the
late
19th
Century
that algorithm came to mean a set of step-by-step rules
that
algorithm
came
to
mean
a
set
of
step-by-step
rules
for solving a problem.
for
solving
a
problem
In the early part of the 20th Century, Alan Turing,
In
the
early
part
of
the
20th
Century
Alan
Turing
the British mathematician and computer scientist, worked out how,
the
British
mathematician
and
computer
scientist
worked
out
how
in theory, a machine could follow algorithmic instructions
in
theory
a
machine
could
follow
algorithmic
instructions
and solve complex mathematics.
and
solve
complex
mathematics
This was the birth of the computer age.
This
was
the
birth
of
the
computer
age
During World War Two, he built a machine called the Bombe,
During
World
War
Two
he
built
a
machine
called
the
Bombe
which used algorithms to crack the Enigma code.
which
used
algorithms
to
crack
the
Enigma
code
Today algorithm is a fairly common term,
Today
algorithm
is
a
fairly
common
term
even if sometimes you're not exactly sure what an algorithm does.
even
if
sometimes
you're
not
exactly
sure
what
an
algorithm
does
Algorithms are everywhere now, helping us to get from A to B,
Algorithms
are
everywhere
now
helping
us
to
get
from
A
to
B
driving internet searches, making recommendations of things
driving
internet
searches
making
recommendations
of
things
for us to buy, watch or share.
for
us
to
buy
watch
or
share
And predicting how we vote or who we fall in love with.
And
predicting
how
we
vote
or
who
we
fall
in
love
with
This little word that originated in medieval Persia
This
little
word
that
originated
in
medieval
Persia
is gradually transforming our lives.
is
gradually
transforming
our
lives
Thanks for watching! :)
Thanks
for
watching
:
Don’t forget to subscribe and click the bell to receive notifications for new videos. See you again soon!
Don’t
forget
to
subscribe
and
click
the
bell
to
receive
notifications
for
new
videos
See
you
again
soon
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