Part 29

170. If a monkey climbs a greasy pole 10 ft. high, ascending 1 ft. with each movement of his arms, and slipping back 6 in. after each advance; how many movements would he have to make, to touch the top, and what height would he have climbed in all?

171. Find two numbers whose G.C.M. is 179, L.C.M. 56385, and difference 10382.

172. What is the difference between twenty four-quart bottles, and four and twenty quart bottles?

THE G.C.M.

The Greatest Common Measure--A “long pint.”

173. There are two casks, one of which holds thirty gallons more than the other. The larger is filled with wine, the smaller with water. Ten gallons are taken out of each: that from the first is poured into the second; the operation is repeated, and it is now found that the larger cask contains 13 gallons of water. Find the contents of each cask.

174. In the midst of a paddock well stored with grass, I engaged just an acre to tether my ass; What length must that cord be, in grazing all round That he may graze over just one acre of ground?

175. If three first-class cost as much as five second-class tickets for a journey of 100 miles, the total cost of the eight tickets being £3 2s. 6d., find the charge per mile for each first-class and second-class ticket.

HUMILITY.

In a certain street are three tailors. The first to set up shop hung out this sign--“Here is the best tailor in the town.” The next put up--“Here is the best tailor in the world.” The third simply had this--“Here is the best tailor in this street.”

“On the Wallaby.”

176. Four sundowners called at a station and asked for rations. “Well,” said the manager, “I have a job that will take 200 hours to complete; if you want to do it, you can divide the work and the money among yourselves as you see fit.” The sundowners agreed to do the work on these conditions. “Now, mates,” said the laziest of them, “it’s no good all of us doing the same amount of work. Let’s toss up to see who shall work the most hours a day, and who the fewest. Then let each man work as many days as he does hours a day.” This was agreed to; but the proposer took good care that chance should designate him to do the least number of hours of work. How were the 200 hours put in so that each man should work as many hours as days, and yet no two men work the same number of hours?

177. On multiplying a certain number by 517 a result is obtained greater by 7,303,535 than if the same number had been multiplied by 312. How much greater still would be the result if 811 were the multiplier instead of 312?

A “CATCH.”

178. Six ears of corn are in a hollow stump. How long will it take a squirrel to carry them all out if he takes but three ears a day?

NUMBER 7.

The number 7 has always been considered the most sacred of all our figures. Its prominence in the Scriptures is very remarkable, from Genesis--where we read that the seventh day was consecrated as a day of rest and repose--to Revelations--where we find the seven churches of Asia; seven golden candlesticks; the book with seven seals; the seven angels with seven trumpets; seven kings; seven thunders; seven plagues, &c., &c., its frequent occurrence is most striking.

The Ancients paid great respect to the seven mouths of the Nile. The seven rivers of Vedic India; seven wonders of the world; seven precious stones; seven notes of music; seven colours of the rainbow, &c., &c. The “Lampads seven that watch the Throne of Heaven” led the Chaldeans to esteem the unit 7 as the holiest of all numbers, thereupon they established the week of seven days, and built their temples in seven stages. The temples and palaces of Burma and China are seven-roofed.

In modern times this number has kept up its reputation. Shakespeare paid special regard to it; the “seven ages” and every multiple of it is supposed to be a critical or important period in one’s life.

A modern philosopher as follows apportions--

MAN’S FULL EXTREME.

7 years in childhood, sport and play, (7) 7 years in school from day to day, (14) 7 years at trade or college life, (21) 7 years to find a place and wife, (28) 7 years to pleasure’s follies given, (35) 7 years to business hardly driven, (42) 7 years for some wild-goose chase, (49) 7 years for wealth, a bootless race, (56) 7 years of hoarding for your heir, (63) 7 years in weakness spent and care, (70) And then you die and go--you know not where.

Very many superstitious and curious ideas have been and still are connected with all our figures. For those interested in this subject see page 146--“How To Become Quick At Figures” (Student’s Edition).

“What’s the difference,” asked a teacher in arithmetic, “between one yard and two yards?” “A fence,” said Tommy Yates. Then Tommy sat on the ruler 14 times.

179. What relation is a woman to me who is my mother’s only child’s wife’s daughter?

THE ADVANTAGES OF SKILFUL BOOK-KEEPING.

If a merchant wishes to get pretty deeply in debt, and then get rid of his liabilities by bankruptcy--if, in fact, he proposes to himself to go systematically into the swindling business, and engage in wholesale pecuniary transactions without a shilling of his own, the first thing he should take care to learn would be the whole art of book-keeping.

From what may occasionally be seen of the reports of the proceedings in bankruptcy, it is found that well kept books are regarded as quite a test of honesty, and though assets may have disappeared or never have existed, though large liabilities may have been incurred without any prospect of payment, the bankrupt will be complimented on the straight look of his dealings, if he has shown himself a good book-keeper.