Historically Speaking—: Thabit Qurra and the Pythagorean Theorem

Abstract

During the Dark Ages of Western Europe, Islam was very much mathematically alive. The Arabs were able to solve the most difficult problems of Archimedes and Apollonius at a time when Latin mathematical knowledge was at a level below that of the ancient Egyptians. Indeed, the Arabs were translators and transmitters of mathematical knowledge rather than innovators. Yet the student of mathematics owes them a large debt for preserving a priceless mathematical legacy. For without the contributions of the Arab translators, much of Greek and Hindu mathematics would now be lost. By uniting Greek and Hindu mathematical ideas, the Arabs further developed arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.