Mathematical Judges

Accountants might like this judgment. The rest of of us may remain baffled. The solution to the case was apparrently as follows:

"An = the stock at the end of week n;
Rn = the receipts during week n;
Pn = the payments during week n;
Dn = the discrepancy for week n (positive for a loss, negative for a gain);
Sn = the algebraic sum (i.e. the sum taking into account the sign, positive or negative) of the discrepancies for all relevant weeks up to and including week n;

then

Rn – Pn - (An – An-1) = Dn = Sn – Sn-1.

i.e.

Rn + An-1 + Sn-1 = Pn + An + Sn."

If you really want to study the case it is at:

Post Office v Lee