Origins of Algebra (Listening)

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The development of a certain kind of mathematics.
B) The history of Persian literature.
C) The similarities between Urdu and Hindi.
D) The origin of the word "algebra".


2) From the lecture, what can be inferred Arabic?

A) It is spoken widely in India.
B) It is spoken by the lecturer.
C) It has some similarities to other languages.
D) It took the word "algebra" from Hindi.


3) Why is the book that is mentioned in the lecture important?

A) It is where the word "algebra" comes from.
B) It provided the basis for significant developments in mathematics.
C) It created a whole new field of study.
D) It was the first book to discuss algebraic concepts to the world.


4) Organize the following mathematicians chronologically:

1) al-Kwarizmi
2) Brahma gupta
3) Babyonian scholars
4) Diophantus


5) At 6:58 in the lecture, the speaker says, "and some people consider him to be, if not the father of algebra, although some say he is the father, he is one of the fathers of algebra because he really started to think about algebra in the abstract sense."

Why does he say, "if not the father of algebra, although some say he is the father"?

A) He is showing that he disagrees that al-Kwarizmi is the "father of algebra."
B) He is attempting to remain neutral in the debate over who the "father of algebra" is.
C) He is explaining that most people believe al-Kwarizmi was the founder of algebraic methods.
D) He is emphasizing important differences between historians with regards to the development of algebra.