Three friends run a catering service and share the profit in the ratio 5 : 3 : 2, Ashok taking the largest share and Charu the smallest. They have agreed that Charu's share shall never fall below ₹9000 in a year, any shortfall being made good by Ashok alone. In a year whose profit is ₹40000, Ashok receives (in ₹):

The plain ratio gives ₹20000, ₹12000 and ₹8000. Charu is ₹1000 short of her guarantee, and Ashok must find it, so he takes 20000 − 1000 = ₹19000 while Bimla keeps ₹12000 and Charu gets ₹9000 — still ₹40000 in all. (₹20000 ignores the guarantee altogether; ₹21000 adds the ₹1000 to Ashok instead of taking it from him; ₹12000 is Bimla's share, which the guarantee does not touch.)