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.

Be Careful Where You Step!
A ladder has 100 steps. On the first step sits 1 pigeon; on the second, 2; on the third, 3; and so on up to the hundredth. How many pigeons in all?
'He Advanced Him 200 Lambs of Gold': The Pamiers Manuscript - Introduction
Discussion of 15th century French manuscript, with translation of its problems, including one with negative solutions
Heron's Formula
Heron of Alexandria (c. 10 - 75 CE) wrote on many aspects of applied mathematics.
Circle and Square
Prove that a square circumscribed about a given circle is double in area to a square inscribed in the same circle.
Circumscribed Circle #2
Find the isosceles triangle of smallest area that circumscribes a circle of radius a.
Equal Surface and Volume
What will the diameter of a sphere be, when its volume and surface area are expressed by the same number?
Inscribed Square
Knowing the base, b, and the altitude, a, of a triangle, find the expression for a side of the inscribed square.
How Much to Buy a Horse?
Three men wish to buy a horse but none have a sufficient amount of money for the purchase; to do so, they must borrow from each other. How much money does each man have and what is the price of the horse?
Snowdrift on the Tracks
A railway train strikes a snowdrift which creates a constant resistance. How long does it take the snow to stop the train?
A River Runs Through It
Wanting to know the breadth of a river, I measured a base of 500 yards in a straight line close by one side of it.

Pages