The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c9.57

c9.57

In the *Sulba* it is sometimes necessary to draw within a circle "a square as large as possible (*yāvat sambhavet*) ;" but it is not indicated how to do it. From the subsequent descriptions it, however, appears clearly, that the corners of that square are assumed to be on the periphery of the circle. The commentators explain that a side of this square will be equal to √2 times the radius of the circle. In fact, two diameters of the circle are