The algebra of Omar Chayyam (Q2013603)

`Omar Chayyām (Omar Chayyam or Khayyam) became a famous mathematician already during his lifetime. Besides mathematics Chayyam worked on astronomy but also became a well-known poet and a philosopher. In a sense he can be seen as a polymath. The author has given an overview on all these aspects of Chayyam's life but concentrated on two important mathematical works (only three are extant at all!); they are concerned with the solution of algebraic equations by means of conic sections. In this second edition, the author has improved on the historical parts and re-ordered some parts of the material. The book has three parts: I. ``Omar Chayyam in seiner Zeit'' (O. C. in his time), II. ``Omar Chayyams algebraische Abhandlungen'' (O. C.'s algebraic treatises), III. ``Mathematischer Kommentar'' (Mathematical commentary). The first part is very readable and gives a good account on the life of Chayyam, his achievements, and the `Golden Age' (and its end) of Islamic Science. Part II contains German translations of the two algebraic works of Chayyam. The editing has been done exemplarily. The works are `Die Abhandlung über die Teilung eines Viertelkreises' (Treatise on the division of a quarter circle) and `Die Abhandlung über die Algebra und die Murhabala' (Treatise on algebra and the Murhabala). Part III contains detailed mathematical commentaries and at the end a wittily written short essay on the `myth' Omar Chayyam is added. In an appendix, we find a biographical report by Beyharhis, Chayyam's horoscope, and a description of a method for the computation of square roots by Kuschyar. A bibliography and an index conclude the book. The present book is likely to become the standard German reference concerning Chayyam and his algebraic works. The book is written in German.