You are here

Home » MAA Publications » Periodicals » Convergence » Problems from Another Time

Problems from Another Time

Individual problems from throughout mathematics history, as well as articles that include problem sets for students.

Water Tank Minimization
A copper water tank in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped is to made. If its length is to be a times its breadth, how high should it be that for a given capacity it should cost as little as possible?
A General Question
Suppose General [George] Washington had 800 men and was supplied with provisions to last 2 months but he needed to feed his army for 5 months.
Base 7
A number of 3 digits in base 7 has the same three digits...
Chuquet's Rule of Average Numbers
Prove Chuquet's rule of average numbers.
Look Out Below!
Suppose a ladder 60 feet long is placed in a street so as to reach a window 37 feet above the ground on one side of the street...
Radii of Three Circles
Determine the radii of three equal circles described within and tangent to a given circle, and also tangent to each other.
Numbers Game #1
The sum of two numbers is 10 and their product is 40. What are the numbers?
Logarithms: The Early History of a Familiar Function - Bibliography
The authors recount the 'great tale' of Napier's and Burgi's parallel development of logarithms and urge you to use it in class.
Asking a Woman Her Age
A lady being asked how old she was at the time of her marriage replied that the age of her oldest son was 13; that he was born 2 years after her marriage...
Circle and Equilateral Triangle
A circle ABDC is circumscribed around an equilateral triangle ABC.  Prove that the straight line AD is equal to the sum of the two straight lines BD and DC.

Pages