Algorithm is a word that we often hear in conversations, especially when we talk about computers. In mathematics, it is basically a method which helps you solve a problem or equation. But this word is not
just limited to maths and computers; it is also used in simple tasks, like when you follow a recipe or plan a trip. In simple words, every time you do something step by step to reach a result, you are following an algorithm.
But have you ever wondered where this word comes from? The story goes back more than a thousand years to a brilliant Persian scholar whose work changed mathematics for centuries.
The Origins Of The Word ‘Algorithm’
The term “algorithm” comes from the name of Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, a mathematician, astronomer and geographer born in Khwarazm, in what is now Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
He lived and worked in Baghdad at the famous House of Wisdom during the Islamic Golden Age. Around 825 AD, Al-Khwārizmī wrote a book in Arabic on the Hindu-Arabic numeral system and arithmetic. His methods provided systematic ways to calculate and solve mathematical problems.
In the early 12th century, Latin translations of his works appeared in Europe. One of these translations was titled Algoritmi de numero Indorum, which meant Al-Khwārizmī on the Hindu Art of Reckoning.
The word "algorithm" comes from the name of 9th-century Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi, whose Latinized name "algorismi" was used to refer to his systematic methods of calculation. pic.twitter.com/zmP3sdQjcL
— Physics In History (@PhysInHistory) January 20, 2026
From his name, the Latin word algorismi came to be used for calculation methods using place-value notation. This word then evolved into the English word “algorism.”
In the 15th century, under the influence of the Greek word arithmos (number), the term evolved into algorithmus in Latin and eventually became the modern English word algorithm.
Al-Khwārizmī: A Scholar Who Changed Mathematics
Al-Khwārizmī wasn’t just a mathematician. He was a polymath who contributed to algebra, astronomy and geography. His book Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala introduced ways to solve linear and quadratic equations, which formed the foundation for modern algebra. That is why he is often called the father of algebra.
He also played a key role in bringing Hindu-Arabic numerals to the Western world. In addition, he produced astronomical tables called Zij al-Sindhind and worked on improving Ptolemy’s maps to create a more accurate understanding of the world.
Al-Khwārizmī worked under the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdad. His texts were translated into Latin and greatly influenced European mathematics during the Middle Ages.
