(08-12-2022, 09:07 PM)CharlieJV Wrote: Well, decimal and fractions: equally messy when 3 sibblings inherit their dad's four pigs...
But it doesn't have to be messy if everybody agrees to bacon.
This reminds me of a story my father used to tell me...
Years ago, one of the neighbor's passed away and the had 17 horses. The will stipulated how to split the horses between the three children. The oldest boy got half the horses. The second son got one third, and the last son got one ninth...
Try as they might, they couldn't figure out how to divide up the animals, so they asked my grandfather for help. He told them that he'd ponder on the issue and come back to them the next day with a solution.
The next day rolled around, and grandpa rode his horse over to the neighbors to settle the argument. "Boys, I'm sorry to hear about your loss," he told them. "First thing I want to do is give you children my old horse, as a token of sympathy." Tell all thanked him for his gift, told him it wasn't needed, but he insisted they take it.
"Now boys, let's solve your problem!
"Frank, you're the oldest, so you get one half -- that'll be nine of the horses.
"Joe, you're the second child, you get one third -- that'll be six of the horses.
"Tome, you're the third child, you get one-ninth of the herd -- that'll be two of the horses.
"And as for this old horse here," he pointed to the one he rode in on and gave them, "I'll be taking it as payment for services rendered and solving your problem. You boys have a great day now, you hear!"
And with that, he rode off happily into the sunset on the same horse he rode in on.
