The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c17.10

c17.10

Now the shape of the *Mahāvedi* is that of an isosceles trapezium whose altitude is 36 *prakrama* (or *pada*), face 24 *prakrama* (or *pada*) and base 30 *prakrama* (or *pada*). Hence the *Sautrāmaṇikī-vedi* and the *vedi* of *Aśvamedha* will be of the shapes of isosceles trapeziums similar to it but in size one-third and double of it respectively. Thus we have the two following propositions: