Geometry in India (History) MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This Class IX Mathematics (Code 041) quiz focuses on Unit IV: Geometry, specifically the history of Geometry in India. It covers ancient Indian contributions, the Sulbasutras, the Indus Valley Civilization, and Vedic geometry contexts. Please answer the 10 questions below, click submit to see your score, and download the solution PDF for your records.
Educational Overview: Geometry in Ancient India
Geometry in India originated from the need for precise measurements in architecture and religious rituals. The earliest evidence comes from the Indus Valley Civilization (3000 BC), where highly organized cities utilized a standard ratio for brick dimensions (4:2:1). Later, the Vedic period (1500 BC – 800 BC) saw the development of the Sulbasutras, which are the manuals for constructing altars and fire-places.
Key Historical Points
- Sulbasutras (800 BC – 500 BC): These texts contain geometric rules for constructing altars. The geometry was motivated by religious requirements.
- Altars: Square and circular altars were used for household rituals, while shapes like rectangles, triangles, and trapeziums were used for public worship.
- Sri Yantra: A complex geometric figure found in the Atharvaveda, consisting of nine interwoven isosceles triangles. These triangles form 43 subsidiary triangles.
- Mathematicians: Aryabhata (born 476 AD) worked on the area of triangles and the volume of pyramids. Brahmagupta (born 598 AD) provided the formula for the area of a cyclic quadrilateral.
Quick Revision Table
| Item | Description / Ratio |
|---|---|
| Indus Valley Bricks | Length : Breadth : Thickness = 4 : 2 : 1 |
| Household Altars | Square or Circular shapes |
| Public Altars | Combinations of Rectangles, Triangles, Trapeziums |
| Sri Yantra | 9 interwoven isosceles triangles |
Extra Practice Questions
- Who calculated the value of Pi correct to four decimal places in ancient India? (Answer: Aryabhata)
- What does the word “Geometry” mean in Greek? (Answer: Earth Measurement)
- Which geometric principle was used to convert a square altar into a circular one of the same area? (Answer: Area preservation/Squaring the circle)
- In the Sri Yantra, how many subsidiary triangles are formed by the 9 main triangles? (Answer: 43)
- Which text gave the proof of Pythagoras Theorem centuries before Pythagoras? (Answer: Baudhayana Sulbasutra)
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