Christmas Contest!

Kira Ravenwood · Post by **Kira Ravenwood** » 16 years ago

*cries* My husband told me I had done this wrong last night. I'm so sorry everyone. I will be putting another one (one I won't * up this time) in just a few minutes. Please bear with me. *sniffs*

Anna Leroux · Post by **Anna Leroux** » 16 years ago

There was actually 18 horses with the loaned horse.

1/2 of 18 is 9
1/3 of 18 is 6
1/9 of 18 is 2

The loaned horse was returned.

Laura Ferguson · Post by **Laura Ferguson** » 16 years ago

The terms of the will contemplate distributing less than 100%.

1/2 = 50%
1/3 = 33.3% (actually with the 3 repeating, but I'm simplifying)
1/9 = 11.1% (actually with the 1 repeating, but I'm simplifying)

which adds up to 17/18th (or approximately 94.4%). That leaves 1/18th (roughly 5.6% - again, with the 5 repeating, but simplifying) undistributed, which, when multiplied by 18, equals one.

That's why the borrowing, and returning, of the 18th horse works. When you borrow, pursuant to the terms of the will, the man has 18 horses to distribute to his sons; the instructions don't say divide 17 horses, just divide according to these percentages. Since the percentages according to the will don't add up to 100%, each son receives his true percentage, then the horse is returned to the lender, so there's nothing left to divide.

Mike Eaton · Post by **Mike Eaton** » 16 years ago

He left 17 horses but not all were given out or they share one or 2?

Paul Sellers · Post by **Paul Sellers** » 16 years ago

Now I am confused. The first response indicates a loaned horse. Am I an idiot (don't answer that) or where did this come from?

Mac Silver · Post by **Mac Silver** » 16 years ago

9 to the eldest, 6 to the second and the youngest gets the pregnant mare. But that still doesnt work out...lol..hmmm

Kira Ravenwood · Post by **Kira Ravenwood** » 16 years ago

- delete please? or simply just forget about this one -