The phrase ardhāṅgulāntaronmānam (width of half a finger) means the distance between two holes. (There are seven spaces between eight holes). It is half a finger in diameter, which is also the dimension of the holes themselves. Instead of tataḥ sārdhāṅgulāt (at a distance of one and a half fingers) sometimes tato ’ṅgulyantare (at a distance of one finger) is found, but the former is correct, since that fits the description of the total length, which is seventeen fingers. Accepting a distance of one finger would bring the total length to sixteen and half fingers, making the flute half a finger short. Therefore, that version has no foundation. Now the word aṅgulam is without indication of measurement. The ending mātra (measure) has been omitted because the word aṅguli is understood to be a unit of measure. Also, the word aṅguli changes to aṅgula at the end of a compound when preceded by a numeral or indeclinable. [Note: Pāṇini 5.4.86]