The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c15.89

c15.89

We have already pointed out how the ancient Hindus presumably discovered the rational rectangles which are found in the *Śulba* by noting when the square bricks comprising the gnomon added to a square might themselves be arranged again in the form of a square. Observing that the gnomon of one square brick depth put round a square formed with n² such bricks, consists of 2n+1 bricks, they would have only to make a square with 2n+1 bricks.¹