Al-Khwarizmi
Key Contribution:
Father of algebra. The word "algorithm" comes from his name.
Preceded the West:
Preceded European mathematics by centuries; introduced the decimal positional number system to the Islamic world.
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and geographer who worked in the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. His book "Al-Kitab al-Mukhtasar fi Hisab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala" (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing) introduced algebra as an independent discipline. The word "algebra" derives from "al-jabr" in the book's title. His name, Latinized as "Algoritmi," gave us the word "algorithm." He also produced revised and completed versions of Ptolemy's Geography, introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to the Western world through his arithmetic works, and developed important astronomical tables. His contributions formed the foundation of modern mathematics and computing.