SOLUTION: please help me with this word problem A farmer recently passed away. He willed his 17 cattle to his 3 sons. The oldest son is to recieve a half of the cattle, the middle son is to

Question 54996: please help me with this word problem
A farmer recently passed away. He willed his 17 cattle to his 3 sons. The oldest son is to recieve a half of the cattle, the middle son is to recieve a third of the cattle and the youngest son is to recieve one-ninth of the cattle. The bothers were up in arms. The brothers argued on how to solve the problem until an uncle solved the problem. The uncle used a catalyst to solve the dilemma. (none of the cattle could be split, everyone recieved a whole animal.)
1, Why were the brothere arguing?
2, What is a catalyst?
3, How were the cattle split?
Thank You!!

Answer by Cintchr(475) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
1, Why were the brothers arguing?
Take 17 cattle and split them in 1/2 ... that is 8.5 cattle for the oldest. But each was promised live animals.

2, What is a catalyst?
A catalyst is definded as "One that precipitates an process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences" In this case, the Uncle put one of his own cattle into the mix. So instead of having 17 cattle to divide up among the brothers, there are now 18.

3, How were the cattle split?
The oldest son is to recieve a half of the cattle

the middle son is to recieve a third of the cattle

the youngest son is to recieve one-ninth of the cattle

Add the nuber of cattle each received.

The Uncle then took his cow and went home :)