Maths and getting the "bigger picture"

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Broadly speaking  the brain is in two parts, each section responsible for different functions.

I sum it up by calling it the LOGICAL LEFT and the RIOTOUS RIGHT.

I would call myself more of a right brained person. I love theatre, the arts, dancing,music, being creative in any way.

That is not to say I'm totally illogical . I like order and whilst I can work in a fair amount of chaos whilst creating something it must eventually all 'come together' and make sense. Then comes the grand tidy up. I appreciate order.

Things mathematical generally mystify me.

I can appreciate the absolute precision of glorious overhead arches  of roads and bridges in a 'tangle' of flyovers sorting out traffic in the effortless flow of off and on ramps.

They remind me of trapeze artists whose flowing acrobatics are all about grace and fluidity. 

The mathematical exactitude of a lovely bridge spanning a gorge is sheer beauty to me.

Then I was given a mathematical conundrum to read and it mystifies me and on another level, totally delights my heart.

Here it is: 

How would you have solved this problem?

A dad died leaving 17 camels to his 3 sons to be divided up as follows;

George should get 1/2 of them

Mac should get 1/3 of them

Ben should get 1/9 of the camels.

Without slaughtering a few of them it was impossible to divide them as indicated. As people generally do, they began quarreling violently.

A wise man was consulted and he saw the 'bigger picture'.

He added 1 camel of his own. That makes a total of 18 camels. (Follow carefully, fractions always gave me a headache, but this is simple!)

1/2 of 18 = 9         1/3 of 18 = 6        1/9 of 18 = 2................now everyone can see that, right?

Add     9  +  6  +  2  = 17      VOILA! Problem solved

That leaves one camel left over. I imagine the wise man took it home with him.

PLEASE  someone.......anyone. explain logically and in a way that my brain can understand, how this can happen. It seems to me to be like the 'smoke and mirrors' that I am told are used to fool the brain into thinking that magicians are really performing magic tricks. 

Written down as above it all seems to work out well. I smile when I think how much money the wise (crafty) man probably went home with, after sorting out the conundrum of dividing 17 camels between 3 sons without drawing a drop of blood.

There are of course moral conclusions to draw and I like these too...they.make sense in helping us to live in this rather confusing world, especially when it comes to emotional issues.

In order to reach a solution to a problem we have to BELIEVE that there is one. Negativity breeds chaos and often violent reactions. 

So rule 1.....keep an OPEN mind.

The aim should be to FIND THE 'CAMEL' that will resolve the situation.....Rule 2.

When people can find common ground (the 18th camel in this example) then nerves and feelings are soothed somewhat and the people involved can sit down (with a cup of tea or a beer) and come to a rational agreement.

As a final comment I cannot help but feel that if more women were in charge of governments, corporations, schools, hospitals and park amenities then more 'camels' would be found and the world would be more of a peaceful place.

Now I really have put the cat amongst the pigeons.............

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What do you think?

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