The quadratic formula was not discovered by one single person; it evolved over many centuries across several civilizations.

Quick Scoop

  • Ancient Babylonian, Greek, Chinese, and Indian mathematicians all solved specific quadratic equations using geometric or arithmetic methods long before the modern formula existed.
  • In 628 CE, the Indian mathematician Brahmagupta gave one of the first explicit algebraic-style solutions for quadratic equations, though not yet in fully general modern form.
  • In the 9th century, the Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi systematically solved quadratics using methods equivalent to completing the square, a key step toward the modern formula.
  • In 1594, Simon Stevin wrote down a version of the quadratic formula that covered all cases, making it effectively general.
  • In 1637, RenĂ© Descartes published the formula in essentially the symbolic form used in algebra today in his work La GĂ©omĂ©trie.

So, if someone asks “who discovered the quadratic formula,” the most accurate short answer is that it was developed gradually , with major milestones from Brahmagupta and al-Khwarizmi, and the fully general symbolic form crystallizing with Simon Stevin and RenĂ© Descartes.

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