There was a Panditji. He was a peace loving guy through out his life. Unfortunately his demise was approaching. On his deathbed he called his three sons and said, "I haven't earned much in my life. Only saving I have are some cows. After my death you three distribute these cows among yourselves. "
However, the method of distribution was not equal. In fact he gave his eldest son 1/2 of all cows. To the middle one ha gave 1/3 of all cows. The youngest one was very troublesome; he gave him only 1/9 of the total number of cows.
Panditji further said that in case of a problem in distribution they could take help of Panditji of neighbouring village. After this, Panditji breathed his last.
Once the rite was over the three sons decided to split the cows. However the problem was of distribution because the number of cows they had was 17.
The given ratios meant that the cows were to be cut and that is sacrilegious in a Hindu family. Suddenly they remembered the neighbouring Panditji and went to him. The neighbouring Panditji heard the entire story and said that the sons should go and he would join them very soon.
After some time the neighbouring Panditji came and he came with one of his own cow. He mixed his cow in the heard of 17 cows. Now there were 18 cows altogether.
The neighbouring Panditji asked the eldest son to take half of the cows. The eldest son took 18/2=9 cows.
The neighbouring Panditji asked the middle son to take 1/3 of the cows. The eldest son took 18/3=6 cows.
The neighbouring Panditji asked the youngest son to take 1/9 of the cows. The eldest son took 18/9=2 cows.
Thus all the three sons took 9+6+2 = 17 cows.
The neighbouring Panditji took the eighteenth cow (his own) and returned happily to his village.
This was how the neighbouring Panditji used a non-violent mathematical model to solve a problem.
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