While walking in a park, one morning, I found a Hundred Rupee note on one of the park benches. I picked it up, noted the number and took it home.

In the afternoon the plumber called on me to collect his bill. As I had no other moey at home, I settled his account with the Hundred Rupee note that I had found.

Later I came to know that the plumber paid the note to his milkman to settle his monthly account , who paid it to his tailor for the garments he had made.

The tailor in turn used the money to buy an old sewing machine, from a woman who lives in my neighbourhood. This woman incidentally, had borrowed Hundred Rupees from me sometime back to buy some household appliance. She, remembering that she owed me a Hundred Rupees, came and paid the debt.

I recognized the note as the one that I had found on the park bench, and on careful examination, I discovered that the note was counterfeit.

How much was lost in the whole transaction and by whom ?

if the narrator had found the note and used it, he would be 100 rupees up. If it had not ever come back to him, he would still be 100 rupees up.

Anybody who is paid with the note and then uses it is even.

Anybody who is paid with the note but then cannot use it because the next person in the chain refuses it because it is counterfeit, they are 100 rupees down.

Overall the chain, when it ends will be balanced, but one person gains and another loses.

However, this chain started and ended with the same person, so that person gained then lost, so is even. (assuming that after he realises it's counterfeit, no-one will accept it)

Posted by Helen on 2003-03-20 04:18:25