Is it called ring because of a clock?

[algebrat]

Hi, does anyone know why they call a ring a ring. Was it because of Z/(n), where the numbers sort of form a ring in sense? I'm visualizing Z/(n) as a circle like 1 thru 12 on a clock. Or {0,1,2,...,11} if you prefer.

 

[algebrat]

I think I answered my own question, it looks like I was close to right, though it may be more accurate that they saw the rings with algebraic numbers blah blah. Along the way, I found a nice article on the history of rings, which includes some algebras, a topic which I have been trying to add to my impressions of "algebra" proper.


the article is:

From numbers to rings: the early history of ring theory.

and some links are offered at

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/362/history-of-the-concept-of-a-ring/915#915