In the light of the trends that developed in the study and practice

in Kerala of the twin sciences of astronomy and mathematics, as

indicated in the last chapter, it need not be surprising that some of the
significant findings of modern mathematics are found anticipated in the
astronomical works produced during the mediaeval times in that region.
In their endeavour to make the results obtained by computation
accord with observation, the Aryabhatan school of astronomers of
this corner of India made substantial advancement in their computational
skill. Working on the basic principles of algebra, geometry and
limiting values, they produced, by dint of shrewd thinking and
logical reasoning, coupled with a fund of intuition, significant results
on such matters as the reduction to the ecliptic, summations and
associated integrations leading up to the value of -n etc. Especially,
the achievements connected with v were brought to the notice of
scholars by Charles M. Whish who presented a paper on the subject
before the Royal Asiatic Society in 1832.1 Among other things,
Whish set out in this paper the several formulae enunciated in four
Keralite works on astronomy and mathematics, v/z. Tantrasangraha,
Yuktibha$a, Karanapaddhati and Sadratnamnla for the circumference
of a circle in terms of its diameter and transformations of the infinite
series for n associated with the name of Leibnitz.