This makes it sound as though the mathematical story problem is a phenomenon, rather than just a collection of examples. But unlike "the chess problem", I've never heard anyone refer to "the mathematical story problem" before, even using a different phrase for it. (Has any math-funner?) Of course we all know about so-called "word problems" esp. in H.S. algebra, but this doesn't seem quite the same. So, is "the mathematical story problem" an actual phenomenon? --Dan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ << Margaret Cohen of the Stanford French dept is writing a book on literature of the sea and asks: does anyone know a good history of the mathematical story problem?

...