A man dies and leaves 3 sons 17 horses... Not equally, do the math

another email I received:

A farmer died leaving his 17 horses to his three sons.

When his sons opened up the Will it read:
My eldest son should get 1/2 (half) of total horses;

My middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third) of the total horses;

My youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the total horses.

As it’s impossible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, the three sons started to fight with each other.

So, they decided to go to a farmer friend who they considered quite smart, to see if he could work it out for them.

The farmer friend read the Will patiently, after giving due thought, he brought one of his own horses over
and added it to the 17. That increased the total to 18 horses.

Now, he divided the horses according to their father's Will.

Half of 18 = 9. So he gave the eldest son 9 horses.
1/3rd of 18 = 6. So he gave the middle son 6 horses.
1/9th of 18 = 2. So he gave the youngest son 2 horses.



Now add up how many horses they have:

Eldest son……..9

Middle son…….6

Youngest son…2

TOTAL IS…….17.

Now this leaves one horse over, so the farmer friend takes his horse back to his farm.

Problem Solved!


Moral:
The attitude of negotiation and problem solving is to find the 18th horse i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the 18th horse the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times.

However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution.
If we think that there is no solution, we won’t be able to reach any!

Simplistic but worth the time to read and think IMO

reply to post by 727Sky


most people today believe the only solution is to give them everything. to be honest anything else is hocus pocus bullshi7 lawyer this or whatever. i see it everyday I barely survive and Im a 4 time war veteran and no one takes care of me like the media says. i say eff it and anyones problem solving abilities that dont compromise is part of the problem. understanding is the true gift of humanity!

Can some smart guy please come tell me why this makes sense and doesn't make sense at the same time?

reply to post by Mon1k3r


LOL, I am sorry. I really hope that your being a smart-ass.
Question for you. What is your highest level of mathematics?
its very basic, but the key to the OP story is a clear state of mind, which clarity leads to understanding, then follows to a solution-based
answer, damn near every time.

To the OP, beautiful message of problem solving



Does anyone remember the one about the boat, two trips across the river, with the chicken, the fox, and something else. it was taught in elementary school. Most adults over think it and as the children keep it simple. You know the KISS theory

it just takes understanding, but with the fast paced world we live in, nobody wants to take the time to understand, instead its the childish....."I WANT IT NOW!" syndrome

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by Mon1k3r

 

LOL, I am sorry. I really hope that your being a smart-ass.
Question for you. What is your highest level of mathematics?

Yeah, sometimes it's really hard to tell when I'm being a smart-ass and when I'm not.

I don't believe in mathematics.

reply to post by Mon1k3r


Love your honesty, well hopefully your pretty! LMAO

if your smart.....assed you should get that one.

No offense.. I hate math, I quit college after Trig and applied mathematics my Jr. year. I cried every day through the semester.
and the worst part is my dream was to become an engineer, physicist, or astronomer. but I'm just a good-looking dumb ape.

reply to post by AK907ICECOLD


Oh, man! I was gonna say something and I forgot what it was. Probably a good thing!

reply to post by Mon1k3r


"I don't believe in mathematics."

Are you a christian? They don't believe in rational thinking I.E. mathematics IMO. I'm just trying to figure out your reasoning in your comments and why you sound dumbfounded to logic and reason. I replied to your post asking for an explanation. Why such a crotchety comment with "i forgot" crap? insult me with kindness, Please if you can. I'm here to have fun. Try it.

Just say thank you and move along. I did my part

S&F for the OP

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by Mon1k3r

 

the key to the OP story is a clear state of mind, which clarity leads to understanding, then follows to a solution-based
answer, damn near every time.

To the OP, beautiful message of problem solving

This is true, there is ALWAYS a solution if you look for it patiently. That is beautiful indeed.

Does anyone remember the one about the boat, two trips across the river, with the chicken, the fox, and something else. it was taught in elementary school. Most adults over think it and as the children keep it simple. You know the KISS theory

it just takes understanding, but with the fast paced world we live in, nobody wants to take the time to understand, instead its the childish....."I WANT IT NOW!" syndrome

edit on 10-1-2014 by AK907ICECOLD because: (no reason given)

This is the version from the 9th century. Your version is the same problem, just with chicken and corn instead to be more relevant to your time and place.

"Once upon a time a farmer went to market and purchased a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and rented a boat. But in crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases - the fox, the goose, or the bag of the beans.

If left alone, the fox would eat the goose, and the goose would eat the beans.

The farmer's challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, leaving each purchase intact. How did he do it?"

Its a good puzzle... and your correct, clarity is needed for it. But then, clarity is needed for life, and the ability to problem solve is so important to a life of success rather than the one of failure a person will have who does not have this ability.

Schools have gotten away from teaching independent and critical thinking, I wish they would teach more of it from a younger age.

Mon1k3r

I don't believe in mathematics.

but if i sold you a box of 50 rounds and there was only 3 in the box you'd soon point that out and mention that 3 is not the same as 50 and thus prove you do believe in maths

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by Mon1k3r

 

"I don't believe in mathematics."

Are you a christian? They don't believe in rational thinking I.E. mathematics IMO. I'm just trying to figure out your reasoning in your comments and why you sound dumbfounded to logic and reason. I replied to your post asking for an explanation. Why such a crotchety comment with "i forgot" crap? insult me with kindness, Please if you can. I'm here to have fun. Try it.

Just say thank you and move along. I did my part

I think what you might be missing is the irony. It was a joke.

Maxatoria

Mon1k3r

I don't believe in mathematics.

but if i sold you a box of 50 rounds and there was only 3 in the box you'd soon point that out and mention that 3 is not the same as 50 and thus prove you do believe in maths

Oh I'll tell you what bud, you sell me a box of fifty rounds that only got three rounds in it and I'll learn them maths REAL QUICK!

AK907ICECOLD

Love your honesty, well hopefully your pretty! LMAO

What does that even mean?!!!

...but I'm just a good-looking dumb ape.

Oh that's what it means! Thanks, I am pretty!

727Sky
another email I received:

As it’s impossible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, the three sons started to fight with each other.


Moral:
The attitude of negotiation and problem solving is to find the 18th horse i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the 18th horse the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times.

However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution.
If we think that there is no solution, we won’t be able to reach any!

Simplistic but worth the time to read and think IMO

Obviously the dead old farmer once worked for the IRS.


As anyone who has ever done their own taxes knows, when confronted with a fraction dollar amount you simply ROUND UP to the next larger number if the fraction is equal to or greater than $0.50, and ROUND DOWN to the next smaller number if the fraction is less than $0.50.

So, as applied to the problem of 17 horses:

1/2 of 17 = 8 1/2
Which ROUNDS UP to 9 horses
(1/2 horse ROUNDS UP to the next larger number)

1/3 of 17 = 5 2/3
Which ROUNDS UP to 6 horses
(2/3 horse is larger than 1/2, so it ROUNDS UP to the next larger number)

1/9 of 17 = 1 9/10
Which ROUNDS UP to 2 horses
(9/10 horse is larger than 1/2 , it ROUNDS UP to the next larger number)

Thus : 9+6+2 = 17!

As for the neighbor who "gave" the three brothers a horse to help them figure out the division of their father's estate (and supposedly the source of the "mysterious" 18th horse);

Well, as we can see, he didn't really add anything to the equation.

And he gets to walk off with one of the brother's horses to boot! (Remember, he originally "gave" the brothers a horse to "help them out")


Kind of like hiring a tax preparer to do the job you could do yourself, for free.

reply to post by 727Sky


Is some kid trying to get his FB friends to secretly answer his homework?