Which mathematician is most commonly credited with developing the general solution for quadratic equations (often called the quadratic formula) in the 9th century?

• A. René Descartes
• B. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
• C. Isaac Newton
• D. Euclid

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. This question is about the historical development of the quadratic formula, which is a key concept in College Algebra used to solve quadratic equations of the form \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\).
2. The quadratic formula itself is given by: \(x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\), which provides the solutions for any quadratic equation.
3. While many mathematicians contributed to algebra, the general solution for quadratic equations is most commonly credited to Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century Persian mathematician.
4. Al-Khwarizmi's work laid the foundation for algebra, and he described methods to solve quadratic equations by completing the square, which is the basis for the quadratic formula.
5. The other mathematicians listed, such as René Descartes, Isaac Newton, and Euclid, made significant contributions to mathematics but are not credited with the original development of the quadratic formula.