Seventeen Horses/General Problem 2/Examples/77

Example of Seventeen Horses Problem

Suppose $77$ horses are to be divided between $4$ sons in the ratio $\dfrac 1 2 : \dfrac 1 3 : \dfrac 1 4 : \dfrac 1 5$.

We have that:

$\dfrac 1 2 + \dfrac 1 3 + \dfrac 1 4 + \dfrac 1 5 = \dfrac {30 + 20 + 14 + 12} {60} = \dfrac {77} {60}$

of which the numerator is seen to equal the total number of horses to be divided.

So we lend $17$ horses to someone, leaving $60$ horses.

The fourth son takes $\dfrac 1 5$ of these $60$, that is, $12$.

The third son takes $\dfrac 1 4$ of these $60$, that is, $15$.

The second son takes $\dfrac 1 3$ of these $60$, that is, $20$.

The first son takes the remaining $13$ horses, then goes and hunts down the $17$ horses that were lent, and so has his share of $30$ horses.