The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c19.s2.12

c19.s2.12

Now the physical circumstances of the problem are such that x and y must be positive integers. Therefore if m > n $m² > 21 > n²$ or $m > √21 > n.$ Since $5 > √21 > 4$ therefore we must have $m ≥ 5, n ≤ 4.$ If on the contrary m < n, we must have $n² > 21 > m²$ Hence $n ≥ 5, m ≤ 4.$