# The karaṇī: How to use integers to make accurate calculations on square roots

Abstract : This paper presents the karaṇī, a mathematical construction to use integers to make calculations with square roots. Indian mathematicians invented new operations for this purpose (e.g. $(\sqrt 2 + \sqrt 8)^2 = 2 + 8 + 2\,\sqrt{2\times8} = (\sqrt{18})^2$ for the sum of what they call the karaṇī 2 and 8, the sum of which is the karaṇī 18). This construction seems to be sophisticated, even useless, but we can find an explanation in a commentary (17th century): if all the calculations on square roots are made with karaṇī, and that the approximate value is taken only at the end, the result is more accurate than if approximate values are taken at the beginning of the calculation.
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Chapitre d'ouvrage
Rajendra Bhatia, Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi. Contributions to the History of Indian Mathematics, Hindustan Book Agency, pp.115, 2005, Culture and History of Mathematics
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https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00382536
Contributeur : François Patte <>
Soumis le : vendredi 8 mai 2009 - 13:03:10
Dernière modification le : jeudi 11 janvier 2018 - 06:19:45
Document(s) archivé(s) le : jeudi 10 juin 2010 - 19:48:05

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karani.pdf
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• HAL Id : hal-00382536, version 1

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François Patte. The karaṇī: How to use integers to make accurate calculations on square roots. Rajendra Bhatia, Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi. Contributions to the History of Indian Mathematics, Hindustan Book Agency, pp.115, 2005, Culture and History of Mathematics. 〈hal-00382536〉

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