Mule train

[Older than dirt]

After an old farmer dies, the three surviving sons are all mentioned in his will to share in his prized possessions - his mules. The eldest son is promised 1/2 of the mules, the middle son is promised 1/3 of the miles, and the youngest son is promised 1/9 of the mules. They get into a heated argument over the mules - there are 17 mules and that number simply cannot be divided per the allocation in the will since 17 is not divisible by either 2, 3, or 9!

They argue so loudly that they attract the attention of a neighboring farmer. He hitches up one of his mules and drives over to the site of the argument. Once there, he says that he will settle the argument by giving up his mule.

Now the mules can be divided among the brothers!

The eldest brother gets 1/2 of the mules - thus he gets 9 mules!

The middle brother gets 1/3 of the mules - thus he gets 6 mules.

The youngest brother gets 1/9 of the mules - thus he gets 2 mules.

Therefore, 9 mules +6 mules +2 mules = 17 mules that have been allocated among the brothers per the terms of their father's will!

The neighbor quietly hitches up the remaining mule and leaves the brothers smiling!

[SoCalGary]

1/2 if the same as 9/18
1/3 is the same as 6/18
1/9 is the same as 2/18
Total is 17/18; the total number of available mules

Therefore 9 mules + 6 mules + 2 mules is the same as 1/2, 1/3 and 1/9 orf 17. Is it obvious that I am NOT a math teacher.

They did not need the 18th mule to figure this out, just the ability to figure common denominators of fractions.

A good riddle though.....

Here's One:
An man goes into a bank to cash a check for $63 dollars and wants only a total of 6 US Currency bills that total this amount ($63). He wants NO coins of any kind AND NO ONE DOLLAR BILLS.

What are the 6 bills he receives from the bank teller ??

[sfhondapilot]

Originally posted by SoCalGary


Here's One:
An man goes into a bank to cash a check for $63 dollars and wants only a total of 6 US Currency bills that total this amount ($63). He wants NO coins of any kind AND NO ONE DOLLAR BILLS.

What are the 6 bills he receives from the bank teller ??

$50
$5
$2, $2, $2, $2

[SoCalGary]

You got it

[RipRocK]

Originally posted by SoCalGary
You got it

The US still has $2 bills? I thought they went out of circulation? If I'd know, I would've got that question

[HiFlyer]

Originally posted by SoCalGary


An man goes into a bank to cash a check for $63 dollars and wants only a total of 6 US Currency bills that total this amount ($63). He wants NO coins of any kind AND NO ONE DOLLAR BILLS.

What are the 6 bills he receives from the bank teller ??

This is way simpler than $2 bills, how bout
20+20+20+1+1+1=63?

[HiFlyer]

Not exactly a brain-teaser, but it has to do with Math!

A ten year old Jewish boy was failing math. His parents tried everything from tutors to hypnosis, but to no avail. Finally, at the insistence of a family friend, they decided to enroll their son in a private Catholic school.

After the first day, the boy's parents were surprised when he walked in after school with a stern, focused and very determined expression on his face, and went right past them straight to his room, where he quietly closed the door. For nearly two hours he toiled away in his room with math books strewn about his desk and the surrounding floor. He emerged long enough to eat, and after quickly cleaning his plate, went straight back to his room, closed the door, and worked feverishly at his studies until bedtime.

This pattern continued ceaselessly until it was time for the first quarter report card. The boy walked in with his report card-unopened-laid it on the dinner table and went straight to his room. Cautiously, his mother opened it and to her amazement, she saw a bright red "A" under the subject of MATH. Overjoyed, she and her husband rushed into their son's room, thrilled at his remarkable progress.

"Was it the nuns that did it?", the father asked.
The boy only shook his head and said, "No."
"Was it the one-on-one tutoring? The peer-mentoring?"
"No."
"The textbooks? The teachers? The curriculum?"
"Nope," said the son. "On that first day, when I walked in the front door and saw that guy they nailed to the 'plus sign,' I just knew they meant business!"

[Older than dirt]

Never mess with a mule...

[Older than dirt]

OBTW, a mule train does NOT have a CABOOSE...

[kemosabe]

...and mules come in different colors and sizes...

[RipRocK]

Originally posted by kemosabe
...and mules come in different colors and sizes...

mules? I thought those were called mocks. guess it has multiple names.

[RipRocK]

Originally posted by HiFlyer

This is way simpler than $2 bills, how bout
20+20+20+1+1+1=63?

Yeah, but it said, "NO ONE DOLLAR BILLS".

[kemosabe]

Originally posted by RipRocK

The US still has $2 bills? I thought they went out of circulation? If I'd know, I would've got that question

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing stopped making the $2 bill years ago, but it can still be used for purchases. Whenever I get one (from some merchant giving me change, for example), I "take it out of circulation" by keeping it in my collection... same with the U.S. Susan B. Anthony dollar coin.

[Older than dirt]

But, what about this???

[03pilot]

Originally posted by HiFlyer

This is way simpler than $2 bills, how bout
20+20+20+1+1+1=63?

But one of the conditions was "No One Dollar Bills"