In our daily life we often need to use numbers. When we buy or sell things we generally have to add numbers together or take one number away from another. That is why we are taught all about numbers at school.
The following story shows us how important it is to know how to add numbers.
There was once a rich gentleman who liked fine horses more than all other things. He liked to spend his time with his horses and he was always ready to spend his money on more horses.
One day a seller of horses came to him and showed him a horse. The horse was a most beautiful animal; its skin was brown and soft, and its legs were long and thin. As soon as he saw the horse, the gentleman wanted to buy it. However he first got on its back and then rode around the yard of his house. He found that the horse was strong and yet easy to ride.
"What a beautiful and gentle horse!" he thought. "I must have it for myself."
"What is the price of your horse?" he asked the stranger.
"The price is two hundred and fifty pounds for a horse. The price is too dear."
"I am sorry, sir, but I cannot sell this fine horse for less than that money."
After this, the man turned his back and began to lead the horse away.
"stop!" The gentleman shouted. "Don't be in such a hurry. Perhaps we can find a price that will satisfy both of us."
Now the seller of horses was rather a clever fellow. He knew that rich gentlemen who have servants to buy and sell for them do not generally understand about numbers. So he said: "I know a way how we can agree about the price. The horse, "as you know, has six nails in each of his shoes. That makes twenty- four in all.
"Now if you do not care to give me two hundred and fifty pounds, will you pay me a quarter of a penny for the first nail and then twice as much for the second, and then twice that much for the third, and so on for every nail that the horse has in his shoes? This means that you must give me one quarter for the first nail, two quarters for the second, four for the third, eight for the fourth, and so on for the whole of the twenty- four nails."
"Of course I agree," said the gentleman. "I think you are a very good fellow to let me have the horse at that price."
The following story shows us how important it is to know how to add numbers.
There was once a rich gentleman who liked fine horses more than all other things. He liked to spend his time with his horses and he was always ready to spend his money on more horses.
One day a seller of horses came to him and showed him a horse. The horse was a most beautiful animal; its skin was brown and soft, and its legs were long and thin. As soon as he saw the horse, the gentleman wanted to buy it. However he first got on its back and then rode around the yard of his house. He found that the horse was strong and yet easy to ride.
"What a beautiful and gentle horse!" he thought. "I must have it for myself."
"What is the price of your horse?" he asked the stranger.
"The price is two hundred and fifty pounds for a horse. The price is too dear."
"I am sorry, sir, but I cannot sell this fine horse for less than that money."
After this, the man turned his back and began to lead the horse away.
"stop!" The gentleman shouted. "Don't be in such a hurry. Perhaps we can find a price that will satisfy both of us."
Now the seller of horses was rather a clever fellow. He knew that rich gentlemen who have servants to buy and sell for them do not generally understand about numbers. So he said: "I know a way how we can agree about the price. The horse, "as you know, has six nails in each of his shoes. That makes twenty- four in all.
"Now if you do not care to give me two hundred and fifty pounds, will you pay me a quarter of a penny for the first nail and then twice as much for the second, and then twice that much for the third, and so on for every nail that the horse has in his shoes? This means that you must give me one quarter for the first nail, two quarters for the second, four for the third, eight for the fourth, and so on for the whole of the twenty- four nails."
"Of course I agree," said the gentleman. "I think you are a very good fellow to let me have the horse at that price."