this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2025
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Arabic numerals, you say? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

Yes, I know Arabic and Islamic are not synonymous. I was stretching for a silly title.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you're referring to as Arabic numerals, is in fact, Indo-Arabic, or as I've recently taken to calling it, Indian plus Arabic numerals.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago

Algebra and algorithms are the Islamic attempt at establishing a Caliphate Of Math!

[–] [email protected] 99 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Fun fact, the etymology of algebra actually is Arabic: al-jabr, “the reunion of broken parts.”

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 week ago

That’s smooth af.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Al-Jabbar is also one of the names of God, meaning the restorer, the repairer and the compeller

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

He's pretty great at basketball too, wait no, that's Abdul Ja... Nevermind.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Refactor, repairer and compiler? /jk

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well, pressing "compile" does tend to include prayers.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Let me introduce you to our lord and saviour C/C++.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago

And "algorithm" is of similar origin: al-Khwarizmi

[–] expr 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yeah I was kinda confused by the joke since that's ultimately it's origin.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The joke is she's right on accident

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

She is not right on accident. Her sounding stupid is the joke. She knows what she's talking about. Her comedy skits are all like this.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I meant Cunk the character, not the wickedly funny woman who plays her.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

Oh. I read that wrong. Sorry.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

Man I feel like if we called it that, people would think it's way cooler.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Similar etymology for algorithm too.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

IIRC, that one comes from the name of a Persian mathematician named al-Khwarismi (sp?), from whose writings medieval mathematicians got the idea

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

Al-khwarismi is the same guy who wrote al-jabr.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Alright, but aside from algebra, algorithm and alcohol, what have the Muslims ever done for us?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Oh, coffee. SHUT UP!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

And Al Jolson