"Albinus Flaccus Alcuin (735-804), a monk, scholar, and teacher, was among the most learned minds of the early Middle Ages. Appointed by King Charlemagne (c. 742-814) as tutor and adviser, he played a key role in reforming the educational system of the Carolingian Empire. In addition to his theological and pedagogical writings, Alcuin compiled a fascinating Latin collection entitled Propositiones ad acuendos juvenes - Problems to Sharpen the Wits of the Young."
"This remarkable work presents 53 recreational puzzles: 33 on arithmetic (including eight dealing with division of goods), 12 on geometry, and eight on logic (four concerning river crossings). Each problem is accompanied by its solution. Typically, Alcuin begins by stating the answer and then provides a brief justification."
A medieval scholar compiled a Latin collection titled Propositiones ad acuendos juvenes containing 53 recreational puzzles: 33 on arithmetic (including eight about division of goods), 12 on geometry, and eight on logic (four about river crossings). The puzzles serve as early examples of mathematical recreations and pedagogical tools for sharpening reasoning. Each problem includes a solution, often presenting the answer first followed by a brief justification. The solutions rely on period measures and arithmetic methods, yielding lengthy computations such as converting leagues to feet and ounces. The puzzles reveal medieval ingenuity despite limited mathematical formalism.
Read at Medievalists.net
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