History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v2.c17.s13.3

v2.c17.s13.3

“Remove the first unknown from any one side of an equation leaving the rest, and remove the rest from the other side. Then find the value of the first by dividing the other side by its coefficient. If there be found thus several values (of the first unknown), the same (operations) should be made again (by equating two and two of those values) after reducing them to a common denominator. (Proceed thus repeatedly) until there results a single value for an unknown. Now apply the method of the pulveriser; and from the values (determined in this way) the other unknowns will be found by proceeding backwards. In the pulveriser the multiplier will be the value of the unknown associated with the dividend and the quotient, of that with the divisor."¹