The term algebra comes from the Arabic al-jabr, meaning to combine. Al-Jabr refers to the mathematician's process of combining like terms to solve an equation.

Historical references to algebra date back to Greek history, spanning the years 540 B.C.-250 B.C. Euclid, Pythagoras, and their followers used algebraic problems with geometric proofs. This method of mixing algebra and geometry led to complex constructions. The Greek system of mathematics used layers of numbers, letters, and punctuation marks written above each other to express these complexities.

The separation of Greek algebra from geometry did not occur until around A.D. 250, when Diophantus of Alexandria demonstrated algebra. Diophantus was the first to use symbolic notation for algebraic expressions. This was similar to Babylonian algebra, except Babylonian mathematicians were usually limited to approximate solutions. Diophantus worked out equations with exact solutions. He developed a system that offered symbols for...