Your weekly problem for problem solving is a challenging word problem. Try your hand at it and test your mind:
Two pilgrims stopped by the side of the road to eat. One had seven loaves of bread and the other had five loaves. A third traveler arrived before they had begun their meal and asked them to share their food with him. They agreed and the three shared the bread equally.
After they had finished, the third traveler got up, thanked the two pilgrims for the bread, and left twelve silver pieces in payment for his meal. The pilgrim who originally had seven loaves of bread thought that he should receive seven of the coins and his fellow pilgrim should receive five, in the same numbers as their original loaves of bread. The other pilgrim, however, thought that the coins should be split six and six, because the bread had been shared equally.
They decided to ask a wise man. The wise man decided that the pilgrim who originally has seven loaves of bread should receive nine silver pieces and the one who originally had five loaves should receive only three.
Can you explain why this is fair?