There are three ladies who have some candies and decide to equally divide it when they get up.
One of them gets up early and thinks that one thirds of the total is mine. She eats one third and sleeps.
After that second Lady wakes up,she was not aware that first lady had eaten her part so she thinks that one third of the remaining is her she eats it and sleeps.
Third lady does the same.
After half an hour all three wakes up and dont tell each other that they have eaten their part,and devide the remaining candies equally.
In the whole process candies were taken without any break.
What is min quantity they had initially? What's the general formula to find out?