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It’s the last unit of Algebra 1 and that means you might be nearing the end of the school year! If you haven’t already, this might be a great time to ask the question: “Where does the word algebra come from?”

We reveal the answer on this screen in the upcoming lesson, Square Tactic!
A screen from lesson titled "Ancient Equation" with a text prompt saying, "The word 'algebra' comes from the title of the book Hisab al-jabr w'al-muqabala. The book was written in 830 CE by Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwarizmi, the mathematician that many scholars believe began the study of algebra. The focus of the book is solving equations, including: `x^{2}+10x=39`. Discuss: What are some different ways you could solve this equation?" There is an image of a page from the original book on the left side of the screen.

The origin of the word algebra might be new to a lot of students (and even teachers!). We hope you lean into the questions that it sparks, such as:

  • Who was Hisab al-jabr w’al-muqabala?
  • Who are the mathematicians from the culture I identify with?
  • Why might I know of some mathematicians and not others?

Leaning into these conversations can broaden our understanding of who mathematicians are and how we all belong in this community. Here are two additional resources that could enrich these discussions:

We hope this conversation helps your students understand that no matter who they are, they are mathematicians.
- Desmos Classroom at Amplify

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