Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/158 - Newsboys

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $158$

Newsboys

A contest took place amongst some newspaper boys.

Tom Smith sold one paper more than a quarter of the whole lot they had secured;

Billy Jones disposed of one paper more than a quarter of the remainder;

Ned Smith sold one paper more than a quarter of what was left;

and Charlie Jones disposed of just one paper more than a quarter of the remainder.

At this stage it was found that the Smiths were exactly $100$ papers ahead,

but little Jimmy Jones, the youngest kid of the bunch, sold all that were left,

so that in this friendly encounter the Joneses won by how many papers do you think?

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Various Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: $158$. -- Newsboys