There have been 10 men, who went to lunch each day together. The bill for all together was exactly 100 Euro each day. The guests payed the bill, like they pay taxes in Germany, which was approximately like that:
Four guests (the poorest ones) did not pay anything. Five payed 1 Euro, Six payed 3 Euro. Seven payed 7 Euro. Eight payed 12 Euro, nine payed 18 Euro. Number ten (the richest one) payed 59 Euro.
That worked out for quite a while. Each day, they met for lunch and everyone was content. Until the restaurant owner caused trouble by proposing to reduce the price for the lunch by 20 Euros - how nice of him!
Now the lunch for all 10 men did cost only 80 Euro. But the group wanted to continiue to pay like they were taxed.
Nothing changed for the four poor ones, they continued eating for free. But what about the six others? How could You divide up 20 Euros, so that everyone can profit?
The six realised guickly, that 20 Euros divided by 6 would be 3,33 Euro. But You cannot deduct that amount from everyones bill, as the fifth and sixth would receive money for attending lunch. So the restaurant owner proposed, to reduce each ones share by the approximate percentage, as he shared in the invoice.
The result was as follows: Guest number 5 ate for free (100% saving). Guest number 6 payed 2 Euro instead of 3 Euro (33% saving). Seven payed 5 instead of 7 Euro (28% saving), Number eight payed 9 instead of 12 Euros (25% saving). Number nine payed 14 instead of 18 Euro (22 % Saving) and number ten payed 49 instead of 59 Euro (20% saving).
Everyone payed less than bevore, Half of them ate for free. But when they calculated again in front of the restaurant, not everything was as ideal, as they thought. "I have only received one of the twenty Euro!" complained number six and pointed to number ten: "The rich one has received 10 Euro!"
The fifth one said: "Right, I have only saved one Euro and he saved ten times as much!" "Why does he get 10 Euros back and I only two? Everything allways goes to the richest people!" complained number seven. "One moment!" exclaimed the first four, "we havent received anything. This system exploits the poorest!" And all nine attacked number ten and beat him up.
Next day, guest number ten did not appear for lunch. So the other nine sat together and ate without him. When it was time to settle the bill, the realized something surprising: All together, they didn't have enough money to pay even half of the invoice.
(Source unknown, translated it from german myself, so please either correct the mistakes or rewrite it Yourself)
BG Thomas
Last edited by Alien on Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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