History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c8.s14.33

v1.c8.s14.33

(2) On a certain man bringing mango fruits home, his elder son took one fruit first and then half of what remained. The younger son did similarly with what was left. He further took half of what was left thereafter; and the other took the other half. Find the number of fruits brought by the father?⁵ (3) A certain lay follower of Jainism went to a Jina temple with four gate-ways, and having taken (with him) fragrant flowers offered them in worship with devotion (at each gate). The flowers in his hand were doubled, trebled, quadrupled and quintupled (respectively in order) as he arrived at the gates (one after another). The number of flowers offered by him was sixty¹ at each gate. How many flowers were originally taken by him?