[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.datta-1932) › c13.s2 # The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c13.s2: Volume of a Prism or Cylinder The Science of the Śulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c13.s2 - **Language:** English ### Volume of a Prism or Cylinder ### [c13.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.datta-1932.c13.s2.1) We have so far treated of the shape and size of the base of the various kinds of Fire-altars and have observed that the size in all cases has been prescribed to be the same, namely, 7½ square puruṣas. Every Fire-altar, save and except the one of the shape of the cemetery (\*Śmaśāna-cit\*), has a perfectly horizontal surface whose height is prescribed to be one \*jānu\* (=32 aṅgulis) for the first construction, two \*jānus\* for the second construction, and so on. Again the number of layers of bricks at successive constructions increases as multiples of five; and the shape and size of any layer of a particular Fire-altar at any construction is the same as those of its base. Hence all the Fire-altars are right prisms or circular cylinders. And the early Hindu geometers evidently knew the formula ### [c13.s2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.datta-1932.c13.s2.2) $Volume of a prism or cylinder=(base)×(height).$ --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.datta-1932.c13.s2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.datta-1932.c13.s2) · Pramāṇa