Master Sun’s Computational Canon, Volume Three

Multiplying eighty-one by one hundred and eight yields|original: 得; dé eight thousand seven hundred forty-eight. Following the progression from the previous page, both factors have been tripled (27 × 3 = 81 and 36 × 3 = 108).
Divided among|original: 分之; fēn zhī fifty-four people, each person receives one hundred sixty-two. Calculation: $8,748 \div 54 = 162$. The divisor 54 was the quotient from the final calculation on the previous page.

Multiplying two hundred forty-three by three hundred twenty-four yields seventy-eight thousand seven hundred thirty-two.
Divided among one hundred sixty-two people, each person receives four hundred eighty-six. Calculation: $78,732 \div 162 = 486$. Note again that the factors (243 and 324) are triple those of the previous step, and the divisor (162) is the previous quotient.

Multiplying seven hundred twenty-nine by nine hundred seventy-two yields seven hundred eight thousand five hundred eighty-eight.
Divided among four hundred eighty-six people, each person receives one thousand four hundred fifty-eight. Calculation: $708,588 \div 486 = 1,458$. This continues the "triple-triple" geometric progression characteristic of this section of the Canon.

Key Mathematical Terms