The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c11.77

c11.77

For the construction of a Fire-altar of proper size and shape, it is also necessary to know how to combine into a square figures of other kinds; *e.g.*, a square and a rectangle, two rectangles.² No specific rules for this purpose are found in the *Sulba-sūtra*. Hence it follows that such combinations shall have to be made with the help of the methods taught. Thus figures of every other kind are first transformed into squares and they are then combined into a square by the methods just described. This method has indeed been taught by Kātyāyana for the combination of triangles and pentagons.