A wizard having powers of mystic in candations and magical medicines seeing a cock, fight going on, spoke privately to both the owners of cocks. To one he said; if your bird wins, than you give me your stake-money, but if you do not win, I shall give you two third of that. Going to the other, he promised in the same way to give three fourths. From both of them his gain would be only 12 gold coins. Find the stake of money each of the cock-owners have.
Let the stake money be ‘a’ and ‘b’ respectively.
Given, to one he said; if your bird wins, than you give me your stake-money, but if you do not win, I shall give you two third of that. Going to the other, he promised in the same way to give three fourths.
From both of them his gain would be only 12 gold coins
If the 1st one wins
⇒ a - 3b/4 = 12 ----- (1)
If the 2nd one wins
⇒ b – 2a/3 = 12 ----- (2)
Equating 1 and 2
⇒ 5a/3 = 7b/4
⇒ a = 21b/20
Thus, 21b/20 – 3b/4 = 12
⇒ 6b/20 = 12
⇒ b = 40
Thus, a = 21b/20 = Rs. 42