This is a well-known local puzzle.
An old farmer has 17 cows and three sons. After his death, this is what the will contains: "I have decided that the livestock will be distributed among the three sons like so: A, the oldest, will get half of all cows. B, the middle son, will get a third of all. C, the youngest, will get a ninth.
No cow is to be harmed, or partly owned; otherwise no one gets any, and the cows are to be given away to the village."
How do the sons resolve this puzzle?
Answer
Let's take a token cow and assume it to be a part of the old man's inheritance.
Now there are 18 cows.
1/2 of 18 = 9. The 1st son gets 9.
1/3 of 18 = 6. The 2nd son gets 6.
1/9 of 18 = 2. The 3rd son gets 2.There is no condition on the no. of cows that remain after the distribution has been done.
9+6+2 = 17.Everyone gets what's in the will. The token cow is the extra one.
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