Welcome!

Enter a player name to begin or load your saved progress.

Al-Nayrizi Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

Study Hints Create Teach
Global Score: 0
Trophies: 0 🏆

‹ Back

Score: 0 / 100

Study Guide: The Scholar Al-Nayrizi: Life and Contributions

Cheat Sheet:
The Scholar Al-Nayrizi: Life and Contributions Study Guide

Biographical and Contextual Information

Al-Nayrizi's full name was Abū’l-ʿAbbās al-Faḍl ibn Ḥātim al-Nayrīzī.

Answer: True

Explanation: The complete given name of the scholar identified as Al-Nayrizi was indeed Abū’l-ʿAbbās al-Faḍl ibn Ḥātim al-Nayrīzī.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi originated from the city of Baghdad.

Answer: False

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's nisba, 'al-Nayrizi,' indicates his origin from the town of Neyriz in the Fars province of modern-day Iran, not Baghdad.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi was a prominent figure during the Islamic Golden Age, not the European Renaissance.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's scholarly activities and influence place him firmly within the Islamic Golden Age, a period distinct from the European Renaissance.

Return to Game

Historical records suggest Al-Nayrizi lived approximately between 865 and 922 CE.

Answer: True

Explanation: Scholarly consensus places Al-Nayrizi's lifespan approximately between 865 and 922 CE, situating his work within the late 9th and early 10th centuries.

Return to Game

The term 'al-Nayrizi' in Al-Nayrizi's name signifies his place of origin, not expertise in jurisprudence.

Answer: True

Explanation: The nisba 'al-Nayrizi' is an attribution to his place of origin, the town of Neyriz, and does not denote expertise in jurisprudence or any other specific field.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's mention of Caliph al-Mu'tadid does not suggest activity in Damascus during the Umayyad Caliphate; rather, it points to his presence in Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate.

Answer: True

Explanation: The mention of Caliph al-Mu'tadid, an Abbasid ruler, in Al-Nayrizi's works strongly suggests his activity in Baghdad during the Abbasid era, contradicting any association with Damascus or the Umayyad Caliphate.

Return to Game

The Latinized name 'Nazirius' is one of the forms Al-Nayrizi's name was rendered as.

Answer: True

Explanation: Historical sources indicate that Al-Nayrizi's name was rendered in Latinized forms, including 'Nazirius' and 'Anaritius'.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's origin town, Neyriz, is located in the modern-day province of Fars, not Khurasan.

Answer: True

Explanation: The town of Neyriz, from which Al-Nayrizi derived his nisba, is situated in the modern-day Fars province of Iran, not in the historical region of Khurasan.

Return to Game

What was the complete given name of the scholar identified as Al-Nayrizi?

Answer: Abū’l-ʿAbbās al-Faḍl ibn Ḥātim al-Nayrīzī

Explanation: The full given name of the scholar known as Al-Nayrizi was Abū’l-ʿAbbās al-Faḍl ibn Ḥātim al-Nayrīzī.

Return to Game

From which town did Al-Nayrizi originate, as indicated by his nisba?

Answer: Neyriz

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's nisba, 'al-Nayrizi,' explicitly denotes his origin from the town of Neyriz.

Return to Game

Which historical period is most significantly associated with Al-Nayrizi's life and scholarly endeavors?

Answer: The Islamic Golden Age

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's life and work are situated within the flourishing intellectual milieu of the Islamic Golden Age.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's writings suggest he was active in which major city during the reign of Caliph al-Mu'tadid?

Answer: Baghdad

Explanation: The mention of Caliph al-Mu'tadid in Al-Nayrizi's works indicates his likely activity in Baghdad during that ruler's caliphate.

Return to Game

Which of these is a Latinized version of Al-Nayrizi's name mentioned in the text?

Answer: Anaritius

Explanation: The name 'Anaritius' is one of the Latinized forms through which Al-Nayrizi's name has been rendered in historical texts.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's origin town, Neyriz, is located in which modern-day Iranian province?

Answer: Fars

Explanation: The town of Neyriz, Al-Nayrizi's place of origin, is situated within the modern-day Fars province of Iran.

Return to Game

What does Al-Nayrizi's nisba, 'al-Nayrizi,' signify?

Answer: His place of origin

Explanation: The nisba 'al-Nayrizi' specifically denotes Al-Nayrizi's place of origin, the town of Neyriz.

Return to Game

Mathematical Contributions

The primary academic disciplines associated with Al-Nayrizi were mathematics and astronomy.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi was primarily recognized for his significant contributions to both mathematics and astronomy.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi did not write an original treatise on geometry independent of earlier works; his significant contributions in geometry were primarily through commentaries and proofs related to existing foundational texts.

Answer: True

Explanation: While Al-Nayrizi made significant contributions to geometry, these were largely through his detailed commentaries and proofs concerning established works, rather than entirely original treatises.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi utilized the term 'umbra versa,' not 'umbra recta,' to represent the tangent in his trigonometric work.

Answer: True

Explanation: In his trigonometric investigations, Al-Nayrizi employed the term 'umbra versa' to denote the concept equivalent to the tangent line.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi was not the first Persian astronomer to utilize the tangent (umbra versa); al-Marwazi preceded him.

Answer: True

Explanation: While Al-Nayrizi made significant use of the tangent (umbra versa), historical records indicate that the Persian astronomer al-Marwazi had already employed this concept prior to Al-Nayrizi.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi proved the Pythagorean theorem using a method involving geometric dissections known as Pythagorean tiling.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi provided a proof for the Pythagorean theorem that utilized a technique involving geometric dissections, commonly referred to as Pythagorean tiling.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's proof of the parallel postulate did not rely on the assumption that parallel lines eventually intersect; rather, it was based on the concept of equidistance.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's approach to proving the parallel postulate was founded on the principle that parallel lines maintain a constant equidistance from one another, rather than assuming their eventual intersection.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi described a device capable of measuring heights, widths, and depths.

Answer: True

Explanation: One of Al-Nayrizi's texts details a device designed for making measurements of heights, widths, and depths, indicating practical applications of his mathematical knowledge.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's mathematical contributions included a proof for the parallel postulate based on the equidistance of parallel lines.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi developed a proof for the parallel postulate that fundamentally relied on the geometric principle that parallel lines remain equidistant.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's extant works, such as his treatises on the kibla and measurement devices, indicate a focus that extended beyond solely theoretical mathematics to practical applications.

Answer: True

Explanation: The nature of Al-Nayrizi's treatises on the kibla (direction of prayer) and measurement devices suggests that his scholarly work encompassed practical applications alongside theoretical mathematical principles.

Return to Game

What were the two principal fields of study for which Al-Nayrizi achieved primary recognition?

Answer: Mathematics and Astronomy

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi is predominantly recognized for his profound contributions and expertise in the fields of mathematics and astronomy.

Return to Game

In his trigonometric work, Al-Nayrizi utilized which concept as the equivalent of the tangent line?

Answer: Umbra versa

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi employed the concept of 'umbra versa' in his trigonometric calculations, which functions analogously to the tangent line.

Return to Game

Which other Persian astronomer is mentioned as having used the tangent (umbra versa) before Al-Nayrizi?

Answer: Al-Marwazi

Explanation: The Persian astronomer Al-Marwazi is noted for having utilized the tangent (umbra versa) prior to Al-Nayrizi's work.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi provided a proof for the Pythagorean theorem using which specific technique?

Answer: Pythagorean tiling

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's proof of the Pythagorean theorem employed a method involving geometric dissections, known as Pythagorean tiling.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's proof of the parallel postulate was based on which assumption?

Answer: Parallel lines are equidistant from each other.

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's proof of the parallel postulate was predicated on the assumption that parallel lines maintain a constant equidistance.

Return to Game

What types of measurements could be made using the device described in one of Al-Nayrizi's texts?

Answer: Heights, widths, and depths

Explanation: The device described by Al-Nayrizi was designed for measuring heights, widths, and depths, suggesting applications in surveying or geometry.

Return to Game

Astronomical Works and Instruments

Al-Nayrizi authored a book on atmospheric phenomena specifically for Caliph al-Mu'tadid.

Answer: True

Explanation: Historical accounts confirm that Al-Nayrizi dedicated a treatise on atmospheric phenomena to the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tadid.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi did not write a treatise detailing an exact method for calculating lunar eclipses; his extant works focus on other astronomical and mathematical subjects.

Answer: True

Explanation: There is no evidence that Al-Nayrizi authored a treatise specifically on the calculation of lunar eclipses; his surviving works are primarily concerned with geometry, astronomy, and instruments like the astrolabe.

Return to Game

The spherical astrolabe was one of the astronomical instruments Al-Nayrizi wrote about.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi authored a significant treatise specifically on the spherical astrolabe, a complex astronomical instrument.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe was considered the best Persian work on the subject, not a minor one.

Answer: True

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe was highly regarded and is considered the foremost Persian work dedicated to this instrument.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe was divided into four books, not ten.

Answer: True

Explanation: The comprehensive treatise on the spherical astrolabe authored by Al-Nayrizi was structured into four distinct books.

Return to Game

The first book of Al-Nayrizi's astrolabe treatise provided a historical and critical introduction, not solely mathematical calculations.

Answer: True

Explanation: The initial book of Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe served as a historical and critical introduction to the instrument, rather than focusing exclusively on its mathematical operational aspects.

Return to Game

Besides his work on the spherical astrolabe, Al-Nayrizi also wrote extant treatises on astrological conjunctions.

Answer: True

Explanation: In addition to his well-known treatise on the spherical astrolabe, Al-Nayrizi produced other extant works, including treatises focused on astrological conjunctions.

Return to Game

For which Abbasid Caliph did Al-Nayrizi write a specific book on atmospheric phenomena?

Answer: Al-Mu'tadid

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi authored a treatise on atmospheric phenomena specifically dedicated to Caliph al-Mu'tadid.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi authored a treatise detailing an exact method for determining what important Islamic directional value?

Answer: The direction of the Qibla (Kibla)

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi wrote a treatise that provided an exact method for the numerical determination of the Qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayer.

Return to Game

What specific astronomical instrument was the subject of one of Al-Nayrizi's significant treatises?

Answer: The astrolabe

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi authored a significant treatise focusing on the spherical astrolabe, a key instrument in medieval astronomy.

Return to Game

Into how many books was Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe divided?

Answer: Four

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's comprehensive treatise on the spherical astrolabe was structured into four books.

Return to Game

Besides his treatise on the spherical astrolabe, Al-Nayrizi also authored extant works on which other topic?

Answer: Astrological conjunctions

Explanation: In addition to his work on the spherical astrolabe, Al-Nayrizi produced extant treatises focusing on astrological conjunctions.

Return to Game

The first book of Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe served as what?

Answer: A historical and critical introduction to the astrolabe.

Explanation: The initial book of Al-Nayrizi's treatise on the spherical astrolabe provided a comprehensive historical and critical introduction to the instrument.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's work on determining the kibla suggests a practical application of his knowledge in which area?

Answer: Religious practice

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's treatise detailing methods for determining the kibla demonstrates a practical application of his mathematical and astronomical knowledge within the context of Islamic religious practice.

Return to Game

Commentary on Euclid's Elements

The Arabic translation of Euclid's Elements, which Al-Nayrizi commented upon, was completed by Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ibn Matar, not Gerard of Cremona, who later translated Al-Nayrizi's commentary into Latin.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Arabic translation of Euclid's Elements that Al-Nayrizi utilized was rendered by Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ibn Matar. Gerard of Cremona's contribution was the 12th-century Latin translation of Al-Nayrizi's commentary.

Return to Game

Both Euclid's Elements and Al-Nayrizi's commentary on it have survived to the present day.

Answer: True

Explanation: The foundational text of Euclid's Elements, along with Al-Nayrizi's significant commentary upon its Arabic translation, have indeed survived through the centuries.

Return to Game

Gerard of Cremona produced a Latin translation, not an Arabic translation, of Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements in the 12th century.

Answer: True

Explanation: Gerard of Cremona's significant contribution was the 12th-century Latin translation of Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements, facilitating its study in medieval Europe.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements is valuable not for containing original proofs for all propositions, but for preserving critical commentary and extracts from earlier scholars.

Answer: True

Explanation: The primary value of Al-Nayrizi's commentary lies in its preservation of earlier scholarship, particularly extracts from the lost works of Hero of Alexandria and Simplicius of Cilicia, rather than the presentation of novel proofs for all of Euclid's propositions.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi is famous for writing a commentary on which foundational work of geometry?

Answer: Euclid's Elements

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi is renowned for his extensive and influential commentary on Euclid's seminal work, the Elements.

Return to Game

Who was responsible for the Arabic translation of Euclid's Elements upon which Al-Nayrizi later wrote his commentary?

Answer: Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ibn Matar

Explanation: The Arabic translation of Euclid's Elements that Al-Nayrizi utilized was completed by Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ibn Matar.

Return to Game

Which 12th-century scholar translated Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements into Latin?

Answer: Gerard of Cremona

Explanation: Gerard of Cremona undertook the translation of Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements into Latin during the 12th century.

Return to Game

Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements preserved unique extracts from which two earlier scholars?

Answer: Hero of Alexandria and Simplicius of Cilicia

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's commentary is particularly valuable as it contains preserved extracts from the lost works of the scholars Hero of Alexandria and Simplicius of Cilicia.

Return to Game

Which of the following statements about Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements is TRUE?

Answer: It preserved extracts from lost works by Hero and Simplicius.

Explanation: A key aspect of Al-Nayrizi's commentary on Euclid's Elements is its preservation of significant extracts from the otherwise lost works of Hero of Alexandria and Simplicius of Cilicia.

Return to Game

Lost Works and Scholarly Legacy

Al-Nayrizi's extensive commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest is one of his works that is now lost.

Answer: True

Explanation: Among Al-Nayrizi's significant scholarly output, his detailed commentary on Ptolemy's seminal astronomical text, the Almagest, is regrettably among his lost works.

Return to Game

Which of the following major works by Al-Nayrizi is known to be lost?

Answer: Commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest

Explanation: Al-Nayrizi's extensive commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest is among his works that are no longer extant.

Return to Game

According to the source, which of the following works by Al-Nayrizi is confirmed to be lost?

Answer: His commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest

Explanation: Among Al-Nayrizi's significant works, his commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest is confirmed to be lost.

Return to Game