In the “inequality” version of the illustration, it shows two boys standing under the tree. The tree is slightly slanted toward the left, and therefore the apples are falling all on the left side, to one boy. The boy on the right receives nothing. When they are both given a ladder of the same height (equality) the boy on the left gets even more apples than he did on the ground, but the boy on the right still receives none—his ladder is not tall enough to reach the tree. When the boy on the left is given a ladder of the exact height he needs to reach the tree, he receives more apples, and when the boy on the right receives a slightly taller ladder than the boy on the left (based on his individual needs), he too is able to finally reach the tree and collect apples.