The Hindu-Arabic Numerals c11.155

c11.155

His date is rather closely fixed by the fact that he dedicated a work to Raimund who was archbishop of Toledo between 1130 and 1150.¹ His interests were chiefly in the translation of Arabic works, especially such as bore upon the Aristotelian philosophy. From the standpoint of arithmetic, however, the chief interest centers about a manuscript entitled *Joannis Hispalensis liber Algorismi de Practica Arismetrice* which Boncompagni found in what is now the *Bibliothèque nationale* at Paris. Although this distinctly lays claim to being Al-Khowārazmī’s work,² the evidence is altogether against the statement,³ but the book is quite as valuable, since it represents the knowledge of the time in which it was written. It relates to the operations with integers and sexagesimal fractions, including roots, and contains no applications.⁴