Mr. Jasper Bullyon was one of the very few misers who have ever been
converted to a sense of their duty towards their less fortunate
fellow-men. One eventful night he counted out his accumulated wealth,
and resolved to distribute it amongst the deserving poor.
He found that if he gave away the same number of pounds every day in the
year, he could exactly spread it over a twelvemonth without there being
anything left over; but if he rested on the Sundays, and only gave away
a fixed number of pounds every weekday, there would be one sovereign
left over on New Year's Eve. Now, putting it at the lowest possible,
what was the exact number of pounds that he had to distribute?
Could any question be simpler? A sum of pounds divided by one number of
days leaves no remainder, but divided by another number of days leaves a
sovereign over. That is all; and yet, when you come to tackle this
little question, you will be surprised that it can become so puzzling.