Mathematical Problem

Whilst making love a necklace broke.
A row of pearls mislaid.
One sixth fell to the floor.
One fifth upon the bed.
The young woman saved one third of them.
One tenth were caught by her lover.
If six pearls remained upon the string
How many pearls were there altogether?

-- Bhaskaracharya

This poem was originally written in 1150 by Bhaskaracharya, a
mathematician and mechanic and is taken from a book he wrote called the
Lilavati, filled with poetic mathematical problems.

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