Problems from Another Time

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

I found a stone but did not weigh it; after I added to it 1/7 of its weight and then 1/11 of this new weight, I weighed the total at 1 mana. What was the weight of the stone?

Peano on Wronskians: A Translation - Appendix 2: Translations

How a translation of Peano's counterexample to the 'theorem' that a zero Wronskian implies linear dependence can help your differential equations students

Making Arrows

In one day, a person can make 30 arrows or fletch [put the feathers on] 20 arrows.

Four Companies

There are four companies, in one of which there are 6 men, in another 8, and in each of the remaining two, 9 men. How many ways can a committee of 4 men be composed by choosing one man from each company?

IOU

I owe a man the following notes: one of $800 due May 16; one of $660 due on July 1; one of $940 due September 29. He wishes to exchange them for two notes of $1200 each and wants one to fall due June 1. When should the other be due?

'He Advanced Him 200 Lambs of Gold': The Pamiers Manuscript - About the Author / Acknowledgments

Discussion of 15th century French manuscript, with translation of its problems, including one with negative solutions

Washing the Dishes

An official asks a woman why she has so many bowls to wash. The woman explains that she had dinner guests who ate meat, rice, and soup. Judging by the number of bowls, how many guests were there?

Height of the Lighthouse

Suppose a lighthouse is built on the top of a rock; the distance between a place of observation and that part of the rock level with the eye is 620 yds.

Apples and Oranges and Peaches

If 40 oranges are worth 60 apples, and 75 apples are worth 7 dozen peaches, and 100 peaches are worth 1 box of grapes and three boxes of grapes are worth 40 pounds of pecans, how many pounds of pecans can be bought for 100 oranges?

Drinking Wine by the Barrel

A man and his wife drink a barrel of wine at different rates.