Civil Services Prep

Prelims 2012 · Ancient History · Question 21

With reference to the scientific progress of ancient India, which of the statements given below are correct?<br/>1. Different kinds of specialized surgical instruments were in common use by 1st century AD.<br/>2. Transplant of internal organs in the human body had begun by the beginning of 3rd century AD.<br/>3. The concept of sine of an angle was known in 5th century AD.<br/>4. The concept of cyclic quadrilaterals was known in 7th century AD.<br/><br/>Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

1. Correct. Sushruta Samhita describes many specialized surgical instruments and operative procedures; such instruments were in use well before/around the 1st century AD.

2. Incorrect. Ancient Indian medicine knew surgery, including procedures like rhinoplasty and cataract surgery, but there is no reliable evidence of transplantation of internal organs by the beginning of the 3rd century AD.

3. Correct. The sine function (jya/ardha-jya) was known in Indian mathematics by the 5th century AD, seen clearly in Aryabhata's work.

4. Correct. The concept and properties of cyclic quadrilaterals were known in Indian mathematics by the 7th century AD, notably in Brahmagupta's work.

Hence, 1, 3 and 4 are correct.

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