A History of Some Polynomial Equations

Abstract

This paper is an historical tracing of the beginnings of certain mathematical ideas through Greek, Indian, Muslim, Italian, and finally modern European mathematics. Not in the least sense is part of mathematics studied in full detail, but the thread of what grew to become the theory of equations has its foundation here. The pieces of thought and theory that carried over from one time period to the next often helped but occasionally hindered the general progress of mathematical thought. The stumbling blocks in such areas as algebraic notation or incomplete comprehension of the number system slowed the progress of mathematics over several generations.