Sutaita was one of the most prominent mathematicians of the Islamic Golden Age. Arriving on the scene in Baghdad a century after Al-Khwarizmi in 987 CE, Sutaita benefited from a well-educated family. Furthermore, Sutaita's birthplace, Baghdad was an influential socio-intellectual hub at the center of the Islamic Golden Age. Indeed, it was in Baghdad that the famous house of wisdom was built, by caliph Abu Jafar al-Mansur. Baghdad was the capital of Iraq and second only to Cairo in terms of size.
Sutaita had diverse research interests:
She worked on the theory of Algebraic equations (also known as hisab, or accounting in Arabic), and was considered an expert in inheritance formulas (successorial calculations).
Her work was sufficiently significant that it was referenced by later mathematicians and biographical historians. She was also widely consulted as a legal expert for her knowledge of islamic law.
Inheritance formulas were concerned with the distribution of a deceased individual's estate to their relatives. The field was founded by Al-Kwarizhmi, and Sutaita was considered the definitive inheritance formulas expert of her time. She was also an influential legal scholar and made significant contributions to cubic equations.
