National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Think-of-a-Number" Problems 28 and 29 of the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus (B.M. 10057-8)

Author(s): R. J. Gillings
Source: The Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 54, No. 2 (FEBRUARY 1961), pp. 97-100
Published by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27956313
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 Andr? Plassart, Les sanctuaires et les cultes fran?aise d'Ath?nes, Exploration arch?olo
du Mont Cynthe, ?cole fran?aise d'Ath?nes, gique de D?los (Paris: E. de Boccard, 1952).
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XI (Paris: E. de Boccard, 1928). fin de V?ge du Bronze, 2500-1100 avant notre
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Biblioth?que des ?coles fran?aises d'Ath?nes Path of St. Paul," The National Geographic
et de Rome, fase. 157 (Paris: E. de Boccard, Magazine, CX, No. 6, December, 1956.
1953). George W. Long and Volkmar Wentzel,
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rivage occidental, Dioscourion, Asclepieion, National Geographic Magazine, XCIX, No.
sanctuaire anonyme (Leucothiont), ?cole 2, February, 1951.

"Think-of-a-Number" Problems 28 and 29

of theRhind Mathematical Papyrus
(B.M. 10057-8)
by R. J. GillingSj Sydney University, Australia

Section V of the Rhind Mathematical The Scribe's "solutions" of these prob

Papyrus (Chace, Manning, Archibald, lems are set down by Chace (Vol. I, pp.
published by the Mathematical Associa 67-69), and the methods used are anal
tion of America at Oberlin, Ohio, 1927) ogous to that commonly referred to as
consists of six "AHA" or Quantity Prob the method of false assumption. Thus, for
lems, which are numbered 24 through 29. Problem 24, Chace gives: "Assume 7.
The first four of these problems, numbers Then 1/7 added to this gives 8, and as
24 through 27, are as follows: many times as 8 must be multiplied to
Problem 24. A quantity and its 1/7 give 19, so many times 7 must be multi
added together become 19. What is the plied to give the required number. This
quantity? comes to 2 1/4 1/8, and therefore since 7
Problem 25. A quantity and its 1/2 times2 1/4 1/8 is 16 1/2 1/8, this is the
added together become 16. What is the required quantity."
quantity? It should be noted that the Scribe's
Problem 26. A quantity and its 1/4 work in the original hieratic ismuch more
added together become 15. What is the abbreviated than is shown in Chace's
quantity? translation. For example, the question
Problem 27. A quantity and its 1/5 "What is the quantity?", the phrase "As
added together become 21. What is the sume 7," and the statement, "As many

quantity? times as 8 must be multiplied to give the re

Historically speaking,? 97

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quired number" are all added by Chace to
make the numerical calculations intelligi T'A.UAyJJ/A.Jt'
ft? tuff * ~ ^
ble to the reader, and this applies to all
four problems, the understanding of which
is clear and does not raise any controversy
as to their meaning or significance.
But Problems 28 and 29 present in
teresting issues, particularly as the Scribe
has written them in an even more abbre
viated form. Figure 1: Problem 28
Chace's translation of Problem 28 is
(Vol. I, p. 69):
A quantity and its 2/3 are added together We find thatChace has added the first
and from the sum 1/3 of the sum is subtracted, two words, "A quantity/9 in the same sense
and 10 remains. What is the quantity? as he did for the previous problems, that
Subtract from 10 its 1/10 which is 1. The
remainder is 9. This is the quantity. Its 2/3, 6,
is, as if it were the modern "x" the un
added to 9 makes 15, and 1/3 of 15 taken away known number, or quantity, whose value
from 15 leaves 10. Do it thus. is to be found. But I would interpret the
Scribe's problem in this case as referring,
Chace attempts an explanation of this
not to some specific quantity as in Prob
problem by quite reasonably assuming lems 24, 25, 26, and 27, but to any number
that the Scribe would have adopted the
at all that his students might think of, so
same procedure as he did in the four previ
that he is here showing them some of his
ous problems, namely that of false assump
"Obscure secrets" [1],* some of his
tion. So he says (Vol. I, p. 70),
"magic with numbers," or, as the modern
It may be supposed that our author first teacher would say to his class, he says:
solved the problem as follows:
Assume 9.
"Think of a number.Add 2/3 of this
Then 9 plus 2/3 of 9 is 15, and 1/3 of 15 sub number to itself. Subtract 1/3 from the
tracted from 15 is 10. result you get. Now tell me your answer."
Suppose the first student announced his
And he proceeds to comment: answer as 40. The Scribe then subtracts
As many times as 10 must be multiplied to from this number its tenth part, getting
10, that so many times 9 must be
give is, once, 36, and this number, he says to the stu
multiplied to give the required number, and
therefore the required number is 9. But now dent, is "the number you first thought
he notices that 9 is obtained by taking away its of." And he is right.
1/10 from 10, so he puts in the solution given in Again, suppose the next student says
the papyrus. The solution does not seem to be
his answer is 10. The Scribe again reduces
complete.
this number by 1/10, and announces that
It is with this explanation that I take this student first thought of the number
issue. Let us now look at the original 9, which he did.
hieratic and the exact literal translation In the papyrus, the example the Scribe
as given by Chace himself in Volume II, gives is the latter, and is the simplest one
Plate 51, shown in Figure 1. possible in integers. If he thinks of 2/3
of a number added to itself as being 1 2/3
Chace's translation: of the number, and 2/3 of this, from his
2/3 is to be added, 1/3 is to be subtracted, table, gives 1 1/9 of the number,thenhe
10 remains. Make 1/10 of this, there becomes 1, can easilydeterminethat 1/10of this 1/9,
the remainder is 9. 2/3 of it namely 6, is to be
added, the total is 15, 1/3 of it is 5. Lo, 5 is
what went out, the remainder is 10. The *
doing Numbers in brackets refer to the notes at the end
as it occurs. of the article.

98 The Mathematics Teacher | February, 1961

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which on subtraction leaves 1, so that his But (Vol. I, p. 70):
procedure in fact holds for any number at A quantity and its 2/3 are added together,
all. On this view, therefore, we do not and 1/3 of the sum is added; then 1/3 of this
need to suppose with Chace that the sum is taken and the result is 10.What is the
quantity?
Scribe, so to speak, accidentally noticed
that "9 is obtained by taking away its 1 10
1/4 2 1/2
1/10 from 10," and that "the solution 1/10 1
does not seem to be complete." Indeed, the The quantity is 13 1/2
Scribe concludes definitely enough with,
"Do it thus," or, as Chace also translates 2/3 9
Total 22 1/2
it, "The doing as it occurs," a proper in
1/3 7 1/2
junction to the student at the end of his
Total 30
problem. Chace would further have no
need to puzzle over the fact that "in no 2/3 20 [3]
other problem are these words at the end 1/3 10
of the solution," [2] nor to suppose that
the problem is incomplete. We can now As in the preceding problem itmay be sup
that our author first solved the problem
see the problem, in fact, as quite complete, posed
as follows:
succinct, andperfectly general, and in Assume 27
conformity with the format of the rest of
1 27
the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, in that
2/3 18
the Scribe seldom explains his methods, Total 45

being satisfied with showing by actual

1/3 15
calculation ("The doing as it occurs") Total 60
that his answer is correct.
2/3 40 [3]
We proceed now to Problem 29.
20
1/3
A 1 As many times as 20 must be multiplied to give
^ 10, so many times 27 must be multiplied to give
the required But at this point he seems
I A
number.
to have changed the order of these numbers in

IIIA % his mind, and to have said, As many times as 20

must be multiplied to give 27, somany times 10
must be multiplied to give the required number.
AV
k \ 1 20
/ 1/2 10
\ 1/4 5
Figure 2: Problem 29 2
\ i/io
Chace gives the translation of this Total 1 1/4 1/10 27
problem as (Vol. II, Plate 51) : Therefore we must multiply 10 by 1 1/4 1/10.
1 10
2 1/2 I suggest that Problem 29 is another of
1/4
1/10 1 the Scribe's "Think-of-a-Number" prob
Total 13 1/2
lems, like Problem 28, and, if this is so, we
can then understand why he dispenses
2/3 9
Total 22 1/2 with explanatory matter, for it stands in
the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus along
1/3 7 1/2
Total 30 side Problem 28 practically line for line,
being meant to be a further example of the
2/3 20 [3] same type. We observe that Chace has
1/3 10
added a full statement of what he con

Historically speaking,? 99

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 siders the Scribe had in his mind, for the divided by 20 times the answer."
better understanding of his readers, to en Then, divide 27 by 20.
able them to follow what might otherwise Multipy 20 until 27 is reached.
be a meaningless jumble of figures. As for
1 20
Problem then, we may suppose the
28
Scribe to have proposed from his notes 1/4 5
that his students : 1/10 2
"Think of a number. Add 2/3 of this
number to itself. Add 1/3 of this result to Total 1 1/4 1/10 27
itself. Take 1/3 of this and tell me your
answer."
Thus, whatever answer is given, the
Suppose the first student announced his Scribemerely adds 1/4and 1/10to it,and
answer as 10 (the number in fact which
obtains the number first thought of.
was chosen also in Problem 28). The
Scribe then simplyadds 1/4 and 1/10on
to the number, getting Notes
13 1/2, which he
at once announces was the number first 1. From the Introduction to the Rhind Mathe
matical Papyrus, Chace, Vol. I, p. 49: "Ac
thought of. His working of these steps is curate The
reckoning. entrance into the knowl
shown in the papyrus, followed, as is his edge of all existing things and all obscure secrets.
This book was copied in the year 33, in the
custom, by a check proof for verification.
fourth month of the inundation season, under
Chace has endeavored to show how the the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower
Scribe arrived at his 1/4+1/10, and in Egypt A-user-Re endowed with life, in likeness
view his method of to writings of old made in the time of the king
my doing this is
of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ne-ma-et-Re. It is
probably the correct one, although for a the scribe Ah-mose who copies this writing.''
slightly different reason. It may be sup 2. Chace continues: "Peet has suggested that,
posed that our author said that : in copying, the scribe came to these words and
unconsciously let his eye pass to the same words
"One-third of 1 1/3 times 1 2/3 of a in the next problem, the statement of the next
quantity is the answer. Or, 11/3 times problem and the beginning of its solution being
1 2/3 of the quantity is 3 times the an also omitted." On the evidence, I am unable to
accept this view.
swer. Or, 4 times 1 2/3 of the quantity is
3. Following the Egyptian scribe's standard
9 times the answer. Or, 4 times 5 times the practice, to find 1/3 of a number, he first takes

quantity is 27 times the answer. That is, 2/3 of the number, probably fromhis table, then
halves his answer. Cf. Gillings, "The Egyptian
20 times the quantity is 27 times the an
2/3 Table for Fractions," Australian Journal of
swer. Thus, the required quantity is 27 Vol.
Science, 22, December, 1959, p. 247.

ne over . .

byWilliam R. Ransom, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

Editorial Note: At the start of the Rhind might consult the following: (1) Otto Neuge
Papyrus, we find a table giving particular de The Exact Sciences in Antiquity
bauer, (Prince
compositions of fractions of the form 2/n, for ton: Princeton University Press, 1952), pp. 74
= 3 to =
odd from 101, as sums of unit 77, (2) D. E. Smith, History of Mathematics
or fractions with unit numerators. Ginn and
fractions, (Boston: Company, 1925), vol. 2, pp.
Since there are many different ways of express 210-211, (3) B. L. Van der Waerden, Science
ing a fraction of the form 2/n as a sum of unit Awakening (Groningen, Holland: P. Noord
fractions, it is natural to wonder just what rule hoffLtd., 1954), pp. 23-26.
or rules the ancient Egyptians to ob
employed
tain the particular decompositions listed in the
Rhind There has been much Some one claims that when you take
Papyrus. specula
tion on this problem and the interested reader one-fourth, or one over anything, it is the

100 The Mathematics Teacher | February, 1961

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