The (almost really) Complete Works of Lewis Carroll

A Postal Problem. June, 1891

Source: printed 1891

Other version: A Postal Problem

The Rule, for Commissions chargeable on overdue Postal Orders, is given in the “Post Office Guide,” in these words, (it is here divided, for convenience of reference, into 3 clauses):—

“(a) After the expiration of 3 months from the last day of the month of issue, a Postal Order will be payable only on payment of a Commission, equal to the amount of the original poundage

“(b) with the addition (if more than 3 months have elapsed since the said expiration) of the amount of the original poundage for every further period of 3 months which has so elapsed

“(c) and for every portion of any such period of 3 months over and above every complete period.”


You are requested to answer the following questions, in reference to a Postal Order for 10/. (on which the ‘original poundage’ would be 1d.) issued during the month of January, so that the 1st ‘period’ would consist of the months February, March, April; the 2nd would consist of the months May, June, July; and the 3rd would consist of the months August, September, October.


(1) Supposing the Rule to consist of clause (a) only, on what day would a ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(2) What would be its amount? [  ]


(3) Supposing the Rule to consist of clauses (a) and (b), on what day would the lowest ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(4) What would be its amount? [  ]

(5) On what day would a larger ‘Commission’ (being the sum of 2 ‘Commissions’) begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(6) What would be its amount? [  ]

(7) On what day would a yet larger ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(8) What would be its amount? [  ]


(9) Taking the Rule as consisting of all 3 clauses, in which of the above-named 3 ‘periods’ does clause (c) first begin to take effect? [  ]

(10) Which day, of any ‘period,’ is the earliest on which it can be said that a ‘portion’ of the ‘period’ has elapsed? [  ]

(11) On what day would the lowest ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(12) What would be its amount? [  ]

(13) On what day would a larger ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(14) What would be its amount? [  ]

(15) On what day would a yet larger ‘Commission’ begin to be chargeable? [  ]

(16) What would be its amount? [  ]


Signature

Date

Supplement

The Rule is given, below, in a form which exhibits its grammatical construction:—

“(a.1) After the expiration of 3 months from the last day of the month of issue, a Postal Order will be payable only on payment of (a.2) a Commission, equal to the amount of the original poundage (b.1) with the addition (if more than 3 months have elapsed since the said expiration) of the amount of the original poundage for (b.2) every further period of 3 months which has so elapsed and for (c.) every portion of any such period of 3 months over and above every complete period.”