Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
A tradesman signing as P.T. urges Mr. Parks to publish mathematical queries in the Gazette to encourage youth in intellectual pursuits. He proposes a puzzle: divide a 27-pound weight into four weights to measure any integer pounds from 1 to 27, offering a free year's subscription as the reward for the first correct solution.
Clipping
OCR Quality
Full Text
I observe you have lately published in your Gazettes, some Mathematical Questions; and am of Opinion, that if you'll continue now and then to publish such Queries, it will be a Means to encourage the Youth of this Country, to exercise their Genius that Way, which may be a more profitable Diversion to them than they are usually employed in. Therefore I am willing to contribute my Mite, by proposing the following Task to them; and as a Reward, I intend (for your Benefit too) to pay for a Year's Gazettes, to be given to the Person that shall first answer it; which I desire you'll send to him Weekly, as you do to others; and you'll oblige,
Your humble Servant,
P.T.
I am a Tradesman, and have but one Weight, which is 27 Pounds: I desire that this Weight may be divided into any Four Weights, with which I may weigh any Number of Pounds, from 1 to 27; and that the same may be done by an Equation, from whence may be raised a Canon to answer all Questions of this Nature.
What sub-type of article is it?
What themes does it cover?
What keywords are associated?
What entities or persons were involved?
Letter to Editor Details
Author
P.T.
Recipient
Mr. Parks
Main Argument
publishing mathematical queries in the gazette will encourage youth to develop their mathematical genius as a profitable diversion. proposes dividing a 27-pound weight into four weights to measure 1-27 pounds, with a year's gazette subscription as reward for the first solver.
Notable Details