# Problems from Another Time

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

A fox, a raccoon, and a hound pass through customs and together pay 111 coins.
A set of n disjoint, congruent circles packs the surface of a sphere S so that each region of the surface exterior to the circles is bounded by arcs of three of the circles.
An oracle ordered a prince to build a sacred building, whose space would be 400 cubits, the length being 6 cubits more than the width, and the width 3 cubits more than the height. Find the dimensions of the building.
Discussion of 15th century French manuscript, with translation of its problems, including one with negative solutions
Given right triangle ABC where C is the right angle, ellipse O (a,b) is inscribed in it, with its major axis parallel to BC. Calculate the semi-major axis, a, in terms of AC, BC and b.
Now a good horse and an inferior horse set out from Chang'an to Qi. Qi is 3000 li from Chang'an.
The steamer, Katie, leaves the wharf at New Orleans and runs an average speed of 15 mph. When Katie had gone 25 miles, the steamer R.E. Lee leaves the wharf and runs the average speed of 18 mph. How far will the Lee go before she overtakes the Katie?
The perimeters of two similar triangles are 45 and 135 respectively. One side of the first triangle has length 11″ and a second side, 19″. Find the lengths of the sides of the second triangle.
A farmer sold a team of horses for $440, but did not receive his pay for them until 1 yr, 8 mo after the sale. He had at the same time another offer of$410 for them. Did he gain or lose by the sale and by how much, money being worth 6%/yr?
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.