Bill is a good student and an intelligent boy. He likes to study arithmetic
and he can do all of the arithmetic problems in his book easily. One day on his way to school Bill passed a fruit store. There was a sign in the window which said
"Apple-Six for five cents." An idea came to Bill and he went into the store. "How much are the apples?" he asked the store. "Six for five cents." "But I don't want six apples." "How many apples do you want?" "It is not a question of how many apples I want. It is a problem in arithmetic." "What do you mean by a problem in arithmetic?" asked the man. "Well
if six apples are wroth five cents
then five apples are worth four cents
four apples are worth three cents
three apples are worth rwo cents
o apples are worth one cent and one apple is worth nothing. I only want one apple
and if one apple is worth nothing then it is not necessary for me to pay you." Bill picked out a good apple
began to eat it
and walked happily out of the store. The man looked at the young boy with such surprise that he could not say a word.