Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c5.s12.1

c5.s12.1

The ancient Indian scholars dealt with various commercial problems. Of these, the problems on mixture (*miśraka vyavahāra*) are interesting, for it relates to many problems on capital and interest (when the amount and rate of interest given), rules for finding time (for a sum lent out at simple interest and paid back in equal monthly instalments), *varṇa* of an alloy, weights, shares of partners, wages and payments etc. besides many others. The solution of these problems sometimes require the knowledge of quadratic equations. There are also some problems which are of indeterminate types. A few may be discussed in what follows: