May 2019
Problem of the Month

Bees from Kavanagh
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The poet Longfellow, in his novel Kavanagh, introduced several clever mathematical problems from an ancient Sanskrit work.   Here is one of those problems:

"One-fifth of a hive of bees flew to the ladamba flower ; one-third flew to the Slandbara; three times the difference of these two numbers flew to an arbor; and one bee continued flying about, attracted on each side by the fragrant Ketaki and the Malati.

What was the number of the bees?"

You must show your algebra to get credit.

Solution to the Problem:

There were fifteen bees.

Let x = number of bees in the hive.

Correctly solved by:

1. James Alarie	Flint, Michigan
2. Kelly Stubblefield	Mobile, Alabama
3. Lord Christopher	Dublin, Ohio
4. Ivy Joseph	Pune, Maharashtra, India
5. Kimberly Howe	Vienna, Virginia
6. Kyler Hurdsman	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
7. Sierra Toomer	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Alexander Thomas	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
9. ALexis Hunter	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Bridger Harris	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Brijesh Dave	Mumbai City, Maharashtra, India
12. Emma Wise	Delta High School, Delta, Colorado
13. Tyler Stoddard	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
14. Kaycee Bugas	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
15. Breckin Barnes	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
16. Michael Newton	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher