Page:The Algebra of Mohammed Ben Musa (1831).djvu/204

 Arabic مال, has already been remarked by Henry Thomas Colebrooke (Algebra, &c., Dissertation, p. liv.)

Luca Pacioli, who wrote in Italian, used the words numero, cosa, and censo; and this notation was retained by. From the term cosa for the unknown number, exactly corresponding in its acceptation to the Arabic شيء thing, are derived the expressions Ars cossica and the German die Coss, both ancient names of the science of Algebra. Latin terminology is numerus, quadratum, and res, for the latter also positio or quantitas ignota.

I have added from conjecture the words وجذور تعدل عددا which are not in the manuscript. There occur several instances of such omissions in the work.

The order in which our author treats of the simple equations is, 1st. $$x^2=px$$; 2d. $$x^2=n$$; 3d. $$px=n$$. had them in the same order. (See, 1. c. p. 2.) In the Kholāset al Hisūb the arrangement is, 1st. $$n=px$$; 2d. $$px=x^2$$; 3d. $$n=x^2$$.

In the Lilavati, the rule for the solution of the case $$cx^2+bx=a$$ is expressed in the following stanza.

गुणधमूलोनयुतस्य राशे
 * दृष्टस्य युक्तस्य गुणार्धकृत्या १