Talmud for Eruvin 1:5

הָיְתָה שֶׁל קַשׁ אוֹ שֶׁל קָנִים, רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת. עֲקֻמָּה, רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא פְשׁוּטָה. עֲגֻלָּה, רוֹאִין אוֹתָהּ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא מְרֻבַּעַת. כֹּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּהֶקֵּפוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים, יֶשׁ בּוֹ רֹחַב טָפַח:

If it (the korah) were of straw or of reeds, it is viewed as if it were made of metal. [R. Yehudah says this. The halachah is not in accordance with him.] If it were crooked, [so that an ariach could not rest upon it (as it also could not if it were round)], it is viewed as if it were straight. If it were round, it is viewed as if it were square. Whatever is three tefachim in circumference is one tefach in width. [That is, what is the required measure for a round korah? Whatever is three tefachim in circumference — i.e., whatever requires a cord three tefachim long to go around it — would, if squared, have a width of a tefach. For thus do we find with the yam (the reservoir) made by Solomon, viz. (I Kings 7:23): "And he made the molten yam, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about … and a line of thirty cubits compassed it roundabout" — whence it is seen that for every cubit of width in the circle, there are three cubits of circumference.]

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