[Illustration]
247. An Arab Sheik, when departing this life, left the whole of his
property to his three sons. The property consisted of 17 camels, and
in dividing it the following proportions were to be observed:--
The oldest son was to have one-half of the camels, the second son
one-third, and the youngest son one-ninth; but it was provided that
the camels were not, on any account, to be injured, but to be divided
as they were--living--between the three sons.
Thereupon, a great argument ensued. The eldest son claimed 8½
camels. The second insisted upon receiving 5⅔ of a camel; while
the youngest son would not be comforted with less than 1-8/9 of a
camel. The Cadi (or Judge) happened to appear on the scene. To him
the matter was explained. Without a moment’s hesitation he gave his
decision--a decision by which the claims of all three contestants
were fully satisfied.
How did the Cadi settle this knotty question?
248. A grocer has 6 weights--each one twice as much as the one before
it in size. If he weighed the first five against the largest, it (the
largest) would only be 2 lbs. heavier than the combined weights of
the rest. What are the weights?
249. A squatter said to a new manager, whom he wished to test in
arithmetic: “I have as many pigs as I have cattle and horses, and
if I had twice as many horses I should then have as many horses as
cattle, and I should also have 13 more cattle and horses than pigs.”
How many of each had he?
250. A gentleman a garden had, five score[2] long and four score broad;
A walk of equal width half round he made, which took up half the
ground--
You skilful in Geometry, tell us how wide the walk must be.
[2] Feet.
251. Two boys, meeting at a farmhouse, had a mug of milk set down
to them; the one, being very thirsty, drank till he could see the
centre of the bottom of the mug; the other drank the rest. Now, if
we suppose that the milk cost 4½d., and that the mug measured 4
inches diameter at the top and bottom, and 6 inches in depth, what
would each boy have to pay in proportion to the milk he drank?
Weight-for-Age Problem.
252. There are 6 children seated at a table whose total ages amount
to 39 years. Tom, who is only half the age of Jack (the oldest) is
seated at the top, with Bob--who is a year older than him--next;
whilst Fred, who is four-fifths the age of Jack, is at the foot with
James, who is 1 year younger than Jack, next, him; the youngest, who
is a baby, is one-eighth the age of her brother Fred. Find the ages
of each, and weight of Fred, and by placing him third from the top
his initial and surname. You must express the ages in words, and use
the initial letters.
253. A flagstaff there was whose height I would know,
The sun shining clear straight to work I did go.
The length of the shadow, upon level ground,
Just sixty-five feet, when measured I found;
A pole I had there just five feet in length--
The length of its shadow was four feet one-tenth
How high was the flagstaff I gladly would know;
And it is the thing you’re desired to show.
254. Put 4 figures together to equal 30, and the same figures to
equal 40.
255. A Salvation Army captain took up a collection, his lieutenant
took up another; if what the captain took up was squared and the
lieutenant’s added the sum would be 11d.; if what the lieutenant took
up was squared and the captain’s added the sum would be 7d. What was
the amount of the collection?
256. Find a number which, if multiplied by 17, gives a product
consisting only of 3’s.