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A Brief History of Algebra and Computing:
An Eclectic Oxonian View

Jonathan P. Bowen

Ex Oxford University Computing Laboratory
Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QD, UK

Dedicated to Prof. C.A.R. Hoare, FRS, James Martin Professor of Computing
at the Oxford University Computing Laboratory.
Text originally completed on his 60th birthday, 11th January 1994.

If you are faced by a difficulty or a controversy in science, an ounce of algebra is worth a ton of verbal argument.

J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964)

That excellent woman knew no more about Homer than she did about Algebra, but she was quite contented with Pen's arrangements ... and felt perfectly confident that her dear boy would get the place which he merited.

Pendennis (1848-50), by William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863)
(The story of the progress of an Oxford student.)

Oh heck-another hour of algebra!

(Opposite side/Hypoteneuse = sine; Adjacent side/Hypoteneuse = cosine; Opposite side/Adjacent side = tangent)

Table of Contents

Printed version published in IMA Bulletin, pages 6-9, January/February 1995. See also longer version in OUCL Technical Report PRG-TR-9-94, July 1994.

Acknowledgement: This hypertext version was inspired by the highly recommended on-line MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. Hyperlinks to individual mathematicians in this archive have been added to the text. In addition, a number of in-line portraits of mathematicians from the archive have been included. The layout has been optimized for the netscape World Wide Web browser.

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