Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/41 - Ancient Problem

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $41$

This article needs to be linked to other articles. In particular: Introduce a category for storing all puzzles of this pattern You can help $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$ by adding these links. To discuss this page in more detail, feel free to use the talk page. When this work has been completed, you may remove this instance of {{MissingLinks}} from the code.

Ancient Problem

Here is an example of the sort of "Breakfast-time Problem" propounded by Metrodorus in A.D. $310$.

Demochares has lived one-fourth of his life as a boy;

one-fifth as a youth;

one-third as a man;

and has spent thirteen years in his dotage.

How old is this gentleman?

Historical Note

Dudeney points out in his Puzzles and Curious Problems that this puzzle was propounded by Metrodorus in A.D. $310$.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Age and Kinship Puzzles: $41$. -- Ancient Problem
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Age Puzzles: $36$. Ancient Problem