A member of a certain firm appeared in a law court with a complaint
that his partner would sell goods at less than cost price, and he
desired to have him restrained. The defendant utterly denied the
charge, and the case was adjourned for a fortnight. As the plaintiff
went out of court he exclaimed in a tragic tone: “Then the sacrifice
must still go on!” and “I’ll be ruined!” The story was noised
abroad, and the result was that the shop was besieged by customers
every day. There the case ended, for at the end of the fortnight
the plaintiff failed to appear in court, having accomplished his
purpose--advertisement.
184. I give 3 sovereigns for 2 dozen wine at different rates per
dozen, and by selling the cheaper kind at a profit of 15 per cent.
and the dearer at a loss of 8 per cent. I obtain a uniform price for
both. What did each dozen cost me?
185. I have in my garden a shrub that grows 12 inches every day, but
during the night it withers off to half the height that it was at the
end of the previous day. How much short of 2 feet will it be at the
end of a year?