Thread: Solving algebra using geometry?

I've been going to my local library <hip hip hooray>, and while browsing through Encyclopedia Brittanicas (spelling?) MAcropedia, I've noticed some pages about how geometry can be used to solve algebra problems. I'm not talking about algebraic geometry, though. Does anyone know what this is called and know a decent site about it? Or if anyone knows about it, can you post the basic principles? Thanks

Graph it and pinpoint the soln?

I think this is what you get from an encyclopedia article about math instead of a book about math. All geometry problems are written down and solved with algebra techniques. An "algebra problem" would just be simplifying complicated algebra.

If you were finding the root of an equation, geometric concepts and Newton's method would find it for you.

If you were factoring large numbers, geometric concepts and the elliptic curve factorisation algorithm would factor them for you.

If you have two algebraic terms set equal to each other, just graph them and find where they intersect, instead of solving for x (an alebgraic problem).