Algorism

/ˈælɡərɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The system of performing arithmetic using Hindu-Arabic numerals (0-9); the practice of calculation using the decimal system.

Etymology

From Al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century Persian mathematician whose name became synonymous with calculation methods. The word evolved from his name into 'algorithm' and 'algorism,' both meaning systematic procedures.

Kelly Says

When Europeans learned Hindu-Arabic numerals from Arabic scholars, they called the system 'algorism'—a mathematical revolution where a scholar's name became the word for an entire way of thinking about numbers.

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