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Algebra

Also Known As Al-Jabr
Algebra

The study of mathematical symbols and the rules for manipulating them: from solving equations for an unknown quantity, the sense the word carried in Al-Khwarizmi's ninth century work that gave algebra its name, to the abstract study of structures such as groups, rings and fields that emerged in the nineteenth century. Modern abstract algebra asks what properties a system of objects and operations must have to behave in a given way, independent of what the objects actually are. Algebraic method itself is older than the name: Babylonian scribes solved quadratic equations numerically more than a thousand years before Al-Khwarizmi, the Greek mathematician Diophantus systematized equation-solving in his third century Arithmetica (some historians credit him, not Al-Khwarizmi, as algebra's true founder, since Al-Khwarizmi's own distinct contribution was a general method rather than the first equation-solving), and the Chinese Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, compiled by the first century CE, solved systems of linear equations by a matrix-like elimination method centuries before either. Al-Khwarizmi's systematic, general method independent of specific numbers is why the field bears his book's name rather than an earlier solver's.

Facts
Central Question
What structures of numbers, symbols and operations obey what rules, and what is really required to solve an equation for an unknown? 1
Key Debate
Whether abstract algebra's drive toward ever greater generality, groups, rings, fields, categories, trades away the concrete problem-solving intuition (solving this equation, factoring this number) that gave the subject its name and its original motivation. 1
Partially Attested
Pure or Applied
Pure Mathematics 2
The source names abstract algebra as shaped by the pure mathematics philosophy; algebra also has extensive applications.
Algebra
Filter Results1 entry
Connections

Associated With

Source Algebraic Geometry (Wikipedia)
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source Universal Algebra (Wikipedia)

Includes

Source Ado's Theorem (Wikipedia)
Source Algebraic Element (Wikipedia)
Source Algebraic Structure (Wikipedia)
Source Alternating Multilinear Map (Wikipedia)
Source Amitsur-Levitzki theorem (Wikipedia)
Source Binet-Cauchy identity, Wikipedia
Source Binomial Theorem (Wikipedia)
Source Bring Radical (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Cayley's Theorem
Source Commutator Subgroup (Wikipedia)
Source Completing the Square (Wikipedia)
Source Complex Number (Wikipedia)
Source Consistent and Inconsistent Equations (Wikipedia)
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Additional Source Wikipedia: Constructible PolygonConstructibility section, algebraic criterion behind Gauss's proof
Source Cubic Equation (Wikipedia)
Source The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Determinant, Concepts
Source Difference of two squares (Wikipedia)
Source Distributive Property (Wikipedia)
Source Emil Artin (Wikipedia)
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mathematics
Equation, Concepts
Source Equation (Wikipedia)
Source Stone-Weierstrass Theorem (Wikipedia)
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Additional Source Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (Wikipedia)History section
Source Gamas's theorem - Wikipedia
Source Mathematics Atlas Long-Form Articles, First Edition

Precise field is algebraic geometry, the study of algebraic cycles on complex varieties; the atlas's taxonomy has no dedicated algebraic-geometry branch, so both its nearest neighbors are recorded.

Additional Source Hodge Conjecture (Wikipedia)Opening paragraph
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source Lagrange's Theorem, Group Theory (Wikipedia)
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source Leopold Kronecker (Wikipedia)
Matrix, Concepts
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
Source Pierce-Birkhoff conjecture (Wikipedia)
Polynomial, Concepts
Source Polynomial (Wikipedia)
Source Quadratic Formula (Wikipedia)
Source Quartic Function (Wikipedia)
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mathematics
Source Ring, Mathematics (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Sedenion
Source Sextic Equation (Wikipedia)
Source Sophus Lie (Wikipedia)
Source Sylvester's law of inertia, Wikipedia
Source Symmetric group (Wikipedia)
Symmetry, Concepts
Vector Space, Concepts
Source Vector Space (Wikipedia)

Long-Form Articles

Source Mathematics Atlas Long-Form Articles, First Edition
Sources
1. MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
University of St Andrews, School of Mathematics and Statistics
  • https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/HistTopics/Fund_theorem_of_algebra/
    Every polynomial equation of degree n with complex coefficients has n roots in the complex numbers.
  • Associated With: Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Al-Khwarizmi/
    the first to teach algebra in an elementary form and for its own sake
View the Source
2. Pure mathematics (Wikipedia)
20th century, abstract algebra and topology
Quote, 20th century, abstract algebra and topology
Major advances in the beginning of 20th century was the formalization of abstract algebra and topology; these two fields were deeply influenced by the pure mathematics philosophy.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Algebra
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, opening paragraph
Quote, Lead section, opening paragraph
Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with abstract systems, known as algebraic structures, and the manipulation of expressions within those systems.
View the Source
Lagrange's Theorem, Group Theory (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Lagrange's Theorem (Group Theory), opening sentence
Quote, Includes: Lagrange's Theorem (Group Theory), opening sentence
Lagrange's theorem states that if H is a subgroup of any finite group G, then |H| is a divisor of |G|.
View the Source
Vector Space (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Vector Space, lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Vector Space, lead paragraph
A vector space (also called a linear space) is a set whose elements, often called vectors, can be added together and multiplied ("scaled") by numbers called scalars.
View the Source
Ring, Mathematics (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Ring (Abstract Algebra), lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Ring (Abstract Algebra), lead paragraph
In mathematics, a ring is an algebraic structure consisting of a set with two binary operations typically called addition and multiplication
View the Source
Stone-Weierstrass Theorem (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Field (Abstract Algebra), lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Field (Abstract Algebra), lead paragraph
A field is an algebraic structure that is closed under the four usual arithmetic operations.
View the Source
Complex Number (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Complex Number, lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Complex Number, lead paragraph
Every complex number can be expressed in the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers
View the Source
Algebraic Geometry (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Algebraic Geometry, lead paragraph
Quote, Associated With: Algebraic Geometry, lead paragraph
Algebraic geometry is a branch of mathematics which uses abstract algebraic techniques, mainly from commutative algebra, to solve geometrical problems.
View the Source
Polynomial (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Polynomial, Introductory section
Quote, Includes: Polynomial, Introductory section
In advanced mathematics, polynomials are used to construct polynomial rings and algebraic varieties, which are central concepts in algebra and algebraic geometry.
View the Source
Equation (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Equation, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Equation, Lead section
Algebra studies two main families of equations: polynomial equations and, among them, the special case of linear equations.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Cayley's Theorem
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Cayley's TheoremView the Source
Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, History section
Quote, Includes: Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, History section
it was named when algebra was synonymous with the theory of equations
View the Source
Hodge Conjecture (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Hodge Conjecture, Opening paragraph
Quote, Includes: Hodge Conjecture, Opening paragraph
a major unsolved problem in algebraic geometry and complex geometry
View the Source
Wikipedia: Constructible Polygon
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Constructibility of the Regular Heptadecagon, Constructibility section, algebraic criterion behind Gauss's proof
Quote, Includes: Constructibility of the Regular Heptadecagon, Constructibility section, algebraic criterion behind Gauss's proof
Gauss's proof relies firstly on the fact that constructibility is equivalent to expressibility of the trigonometric functions of the common angle in terms of arithmetic operations and square root extractions
View the Source
Mathematics Atlas Long-Form Articles, First Edition
Mathematics Atlas editorial staffLong-Form Articles: Fifty Years of Proofs That Assumed Their Own Conclusion
Algebraic Structure (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Algebraic Structure, Lead section, third paragraph
Quote, Includes: Algebraic Structure, Lead section, third paragraph
Abstract algebra is the name that is commonly given to the study of algebraic structures.
View the Source
Universal Algebra (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Universal Algebra, Wikipedia lead paragraph, Universal algebra
Quote, Associated With: Universal Algebra, Wikipedia lead paragraph, Universal algebra
Universal algebra is the field of mathematics that studies algebraic structures in general, not specific types of algebraic structures.
View the Source
Symmetric group (Wikipedia)
Includes: Symmetric Group, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Symmetric Group, Lead sentence
In abstract algebra, the symmetric group defined over any set is the group whose elements are all the bijections from the set to i
View the Source
Difference of two squares (Wikipedia)
Includes: Difference of Two Squares, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Difference of Two Squares, Lead sentence
In elementary algebra, a difference of two squares is one squared number (the number multiplied by itself) subtracted from another
View the Source
Completing the Square (Wikipedia)
Includes: Completing the Square, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Completing the Square, Lead sentence
In elementary algebra, completing the square is a technique for converting a quadratic polynomial of the form ⁠ a x 2 + b x + c +b
View the Source
Commutator Subgroup (Wikipedia)
Includes: Commutator Subgroup, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Commutator Subgroup, Lead sentence
In mathematics, more specifically in abstract algebra, the commutator subgroup or derived subgroup of a group is the subgroup gene
View the Source
Quadratic Formula (Wikipedia)
Includes: Quadratic Formula, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Quadratic Formula, Lead sentence
In elementary algebra, the quadratic formula is a closed-form expression describing the solutions of a quadratic equation.
View the Source
Cubic Equation (Wikipedia)
Includes: Cubic Equation, Lead sentenceView the Source
Distributive Property (Wikipedia)
Includes: Distributive Property, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Distributive Property, Lead sentence
z ) = x ⋅ y + x ⋅ z is always true in elementary algebra.
View the Source
Quartic Function (Wikipedia)
Includes: Quartic Function, Lead sentenceView the Source
Bring Radical (Wikipedia)
Includes: Bring radical, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Bring radical, Lead sentence
In algebra, the Bring radical or ultraradical of a real number a is the unique real root of the polynomial x 5 + x + a .
View the Source
Consistent and Inconsistent Equations (Wikipedia)
Includes: Consistent and Inconsistent Equations, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Consistent and Inconsistent Equations, Lead sentence
In mathematics and particularly in algebra, a system of equations (either linear or nonlinear) is called consistent if there is at
View the Source
Algebraic Element (Wikipedia)
Includes: Algebraic Element, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Algebraic Element, Lead sentence
In mathematics, if A is an associative algebra over K, then an element a of A is an algebraic element over K, or just algebraic ov
View the Source
Alternating Multilinear Map (Wikipedia)
Includes: Alternating Multilinear Map, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Alternating Multilinear Map, Lead sentence
In mathematics, more specifically in multilinear algebra, an alternating multilinear map is a multilinear map with all arguments b
View the Source
Sextic Equation (Wikipedia)
Includes: Sextic Equation, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Sextic Equation, Lead sentence
In algebra, a sextic (or hexic) polynomial is a polynomial of degree six.
View the Source
Binet-Cauchy identity, Wikipedia
Includes: Binet-Cauchy Identity, Lead sentenceView the Source
Pierce-Birkhoff conjecture (Wikipedia)
Includes: Pierce-Birkhoff Conjecture, Lead sentenceView the Source
Wikipedia: Sedenion
Includes: Sedenion, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Sedenion, Lead sentence
In abstract algebra, the sedenions form a 16-dimensional noncommutative and nonassociative algebra over the real numbers, usually
View the Source
Sylvester's law of inertia, Wikipedia
Includes: Sylvester's Law of Inertia, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Sylvester's Law of Inertia, Lead sentence
Sylvester's law of inertia is a theorem in matrix algebra about certain properties of the coefficient matrix of a real quadratic f
View the Source
Ado's Theorem (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Ado's Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Ado's Theorem, Lead sentence
In abstract algebra, Ado's theorem is a theorem characterizing finite-dimensional Lie algebras.
View the Source
Gamas's theorem - Wikipedia
Includes: Gamas's Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Gamas's Theorem, Lead sentence
Gamas's theorem is a result in multilinear algebra which states the necessary and sufficient conditions for a tensor symmetrized b
View the Source
Binomial Theorem (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Binomial Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Binomial Theorem, Lead sentence
In elementary algebra, the binomial theorem (or binomial expansion) describes the algebraic expansion of powers of a binomial.
View the Source
Amitsur-Levitzki theorem (Wikipedia)
Includes: Amitsur-Levitzki Theorem, Lead sentenceView the Source
Emil Artin (Wikipedia)
Includes: Emil Artin, Lead paragraph [in-branch 2]
Quote, Includes: Emil Artin, Lead paragraph [in-branch 2]
modern abstract algebra
View the Source
Leopold Kronecker (Wikipedia)
Includes: Leopold Kronecker, Lead paragraph [in-branch]
Quote, Includes: Leopold Kronecker, Lead paragraph [in-branch]
abstract algebra
View the Source
Sophus Lie (Wikipedia)
Includes: Sophus Lie, Lead paragraph [in-branch 3]
Quote, Includes: Sophus Lie, Lead paragraph [in-branch 3]
development of algebra
View the Source
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