> Al-Jabr (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing, Arabic: الكتاب المختصر في حساب الجبر والمقابلة al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wal-muqābala) is a mathematical book written approximately 820 CE. [...] The term "algebra" is derived from the name of one of the basic operations with equations (al-jabr, meaning "restoration", referring to adding a number to both sides of the equation to consolidate or cancel terms) described in this book.<p>This is not correct.<p>المقابلة indicates two entities facing one another. Root is Q.B.L. from which we also get Qibla (that is direction of prayer). So it indicates the balancing of terms on each side of the equation.<p>الجبر is actually one of the names of God and it means forceful/irresistible compeller. In context of حساب (computation, reckoning) حساب الجبر then means a computation that is compelled (by mathematical logic).