Abul Wafa Muhammad Al Buzjani The Basic Layer of Trigonometric Formulas
The period of Islam's past glory, among others, is marked by the rise of the tradition of science. Muslim scholars, especially those in Baghdad and Andalusia, play a significant role for the growing development of medical science, mathematics, chemistry, and other fields of development. For centuries Muslim scholars have poured their ideas and research into the books of knowledge to become the reference of modern science. Today, the world has been able to benefit from the development of science pioneered by scientists and Muslim scholars.
Abul Wafa Muhammad Ibn Muhammad IbnuYahya Ibnu ismail al-Buzjani, is one of the many Muslim scientists who helped color the treasures of past knowledge. He is noted as an expert in mathematics and astronomy. A small town called Buzjan, Nishapur, is the birthplace of this great scientist, precisely in 940 AD Since childhood, his intelligence has begun to appear since his childhood is supported by his great interest in the field of natural sciences. His school days were spent in his hometown.
After successfully completing primary and secondary education, Abul Wafa then decided to move on to a higher level in the capital of Baghdad in 959 AD. There, he also studied mathematics. History records, in this city Abul Wafa then spent his lifetime. The tradition and climate of Baghdad scholarship is indeed very conducive to the development of Abul Wafa's thought. Thanks to the guidance of a number of leading scientists of the time, not too long he was transformed into a young man who has a brilliant brain.
He also helped many scientists as well as personally developed several important theories in the field of mathematics, mainly geometry and trigonometry. In the field of geometry, Abul Wafa contributed significantly to the problem of geometry by using a compass; construction is equivalent to all fields, common polyhedral; a half-sided hexagon construction of an equilateral triangle; the parabolic construction of the point and the geometry solution to the equation.
The construction of trigonometry building of Abul Wafa version has been recognized for its great benefit. He was the first to point out the relative theory of a parabolic triangle. Not only that, he also developed a new method of rectangular construction and improved sine value 30 by using eight decimals. Abul Wafa also developed a sine relationship and formula 2 sin2 (a / 2) = 1 - cos a and also sin a = 2 sin (a / 2) cos (a / 2)
In addition, Abul Wafa made a special study of tangent theory and tangent counting tables. He introduced secan and cosecan for the first time, succeeding in knowing the relation between the trigonometric lines which are useful for mapping them as well as laying the groundwork for the continuity of conic theory studies. Abul Wafa is not only a mathematician, but also an expert in the field of astronomy. He spent several years studying the different movements of the moon and discovering "variations". He was listed as one of the Arabic translators and commentators of Greek works.
Many books and scientific works have been produced and cover many fields of science. But not much of his work is left to this day. Some of his works are missing, while those that still exist, have been modified. His contributions in the form of scholarly works are among others in the form of the book Ilm al-Hisab (Book Practical Arithmetic), Al-Kitab Al-Kamil (Complete Book), and Kitab al-Handsa (Applied Geometry). Abul Wafa also poured his writings in scientific journals Euclid, Diophantos and al-Khawarizmi, but unfortunately many have been lost.
Nevertheless, his contribution to trigonometric theory is particularly significant in the development of tangent formulas, preliminary findings on the secan and cosecant formulas. Therefore, a large number of trigomometric formulas can not be separated from Abul Wafa's name. As mentioned in the Qur'an and hadith, Islam advocates for its people to always learn and develop science. This is lived by the Muslim scientist, Abul Wafa Muhammad until all his life he devoted to the progress of science.