# Problems from Another Time

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

If you are h feet tall and walk all the way around the Earth, keeping to the same circumference, how much farther has your head gone than your feet when you complete the journey?
The square root of half the number of bees in a swarm has flown out upon a jessamine bush; 8/9 of the swarm has remained behind.
Discussion of 15th century French manuscript, with translation of its problems, including one with negative solutions
What will the diameter of a sphere be, when its volume and surface area are expressed by the same number?
A man hired a horse in London at 3 pence a mile. He rode 94 miles due West to Bristol then due north to Chester, whence he returned toward London for 66 miles, which put him in Coventry.
A man has four creditors. To the first he owes 624 ducats; to the second, 546; to the third, 492; and to the fourth 368.
A tree is 20 feet tall and has a circumference of 3 feet. There is a vine that winds seven equally spaced times around the tree and reaches the top. What is the length of the vine?
A man bought a number of sheep for $225; 10 of them having died, he sold 4/5 of the remainder for the same cost and received$150 for them. How many did he buy?
A speculator bought stock at 25% below par and sold it at 20% above par. He gained \$1560. How much did he invest?
A barrel has various holes in it. The fist hole empties the barrel in three days...