Algebra Road
Algebra Road
At the center of the city lies the House of Wisdom, one of the world’s earliest universities and largest public libraries. Traveling through the bustling streets, we arrive at a large stone gate leading into a tranquil courtyard.
Algebra Road is a high-intensity indoor coaster chronicling the invention of algebra and modern mathematics at the House of Wisdom. Algebra Road is an S&S Axis Coaster, an exciting new model which allows for one-of-a-kind spins irrespective of coaster track. Paired with intricate theming and a tight layout, this indoor coaster makes for an incredibly unique experience.
At the House of Wisdom Courtyard, guests may choose to explore the surrounding corridors or enter through the door onto Algebra Road’s queue. Exploring the corridors allows guests who do not wish to ride the chance to experience its short preshows, titled simply the House of Wisdom.
However, these hallways are largely empty aside from the sounds of marble echoing as one walks down the halls. Upstairs, we can see a terrace of silhouetted scholars, either speaking in hushed tones or peering through a book.
BACK TO RIDE QUEUE
The queue continues past the main library into an alcove featuring a propped-open secret door. Guests walk inside, to find…
The private study of Al-Khwarizmi, perhaps the most famous scholar of the Islamic Golden Age. Known as the father of algebra, Al-Khwarizmi conceputalized “balancing” equations, leading to the discovery of the quadratic equation and more.
Come friends, and enter the word of algebraic fantasy.
The Ride
A land of algebraic abstraction. A giant room hosting the indoor coaster (akin to Space Mountain or Rock in Roll Roller Coaster), the dark room contains a pale white grid extended seemingly infinitely along all three geometric planes (x, y, z). Colored lines, abstract shapes, and even simple algebraic equations floats overhead amidst a black void. This edge is a massive screen, akin to a planetarium, allowing for timed effects to occur in small instances overhead.
But uniquely, there is still a clear reminder of our origin. Faint, Islamic-inspired music can be heard overhead and each time the coaster completes a beautiful rotation. Many of the writings and the track itself are painted Islamic green. Early Islamic mathematicans viewed their work not only as compatible but actively engaging with faith to learn about the beauty of the created world. Over the course of the ride, these simples lines, curves, and shapes weave into beautiful tapestries similar to that of Islamic caligrpahic / architecture; as the Arabic world is inspired by basic mathematical principles.
The coaster slowly begins ascending up a lift hill. Above, we can read in floating purple text:
The coaster dives down in an initial -90 bend, before progressively turning up to 0 degrees and then back upwards along the quadratic formula.
After the quadratic formula, the axis rotates 90 degrees, switching the “gravity” of the math onto the x-z plane irrespective of y; i.e. the ride is now predominantly horizontal, but the axis coasters’ unique system keeps guests upright. More equations follow, including a spiral pattern rotating the coaster until it seems about to crash into itself.
Scribbles of (arabic) writings paired with numerals familiar to both Al-Khwarizmi and ourselves scrawl overhead, not orderly and contained, but in a rush like a damn has broken. Ideas rattle the coaster and it begins to sway even further.
By this point, the ride has departed from exclusively covering early algebra, rushing across centuries of space-time to develop itself. Here, the axis coaster turns again at just the right moment, aided by the track itself, switching the plane again. Three-variable equations follow as the ride spirals down and utilizes all three planes; the axis ride system accelerates its rotations to create an extremely disorienting yet engaging experience.
Imaginary numbers rush overhead, although they cannot be graphed, so whenever one is near the axis coaster seats rotates itself away. As the roller coaster loses steam and veers towards the bottom of the large room, more graphs seem to pop up, again and again… until they start creating art through math. Coming full circle, sinusoidal equations start resembling shapes and real-like structures… like an Islamic House of Wisdom, transforming into a living and breathing mathematical graph.
The rotating spires, arches, and domes move wave-like as the graph continues. The axis coaster makes one final turn – an elaborate, difficult-to-graph function diving upwards and rotating along the individual cars so that it inverts doubleside. In contrast to the relative simplicity of the ride’s beginning, this moment is given no equation, but perhaps me might wish to solve it after?
Exiting the large black building, the coaster zoom past a short fog and returns to the sandy cavern as if nothing happened (...because nothing did...). Al-Khwarizmi speaks overhead:
Math… art… mind.. in my view, all are one.
So now you see: algorithms for you, algorithms for me.
Without another word we depart through a separate exit to return to the famed House of Wisdom. Entering the Study Hall, a brief themed gift shop wing of the Academy, we can then leave the House into the bustling streets of Crossroads City.