Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/146 - The Swarm of Bees

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $146$

The Swarm of Bees

The square root of half the number of bees in a swarm has flown out upon a jessamine bush;

eight-ninths of the whole swarm as remained behind;

one female bee flies about a male that is buzzing within the lotus flower into which he was allured in the night by its sweet odour,

but is now imprisoned in it.

Tell me the number of bees.

Historical Note

Henry Ernest Dudeney reports:

Here is an example of the elegant way in which Bhaskara, in his great work Lilivati, in $1150$, dressed his little puzzles.

Note his continued misspelling of Lilavati.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Various Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: $146$. -- The Swarm of Bees
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Miscellaneous Puzzles: $218$. The Swarm of Bees