The Missing Dollar

Posted on December 27th, 2005 at 8:06 pm

Three men go into a motel. The man behind the desk says the room is $30, so each man pays $10 and they go to their room. Later, the man at the desk realises the room was only $25 and sends the bellboy with $5 change. The bellboy can’t work out how to split $5 between three so gives each man $1 and keeps $2. This means each man has paid $9 (total $27), add the bellboy’s $2 = $29. Where is the missing dollar?

This one really hurts my head. But I know the answer.

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6 comments so far.

Mariko on the December 29th, 2005 at 2:53 am said:

(3×10)-5+3+2=30-5+5=30
{3×(10-1)}+2=(3×9)+2=27+2=29
Is it correct??? Don’t laugh if I’m wrong!!
julian on the December 29th, 2005 at 1:22 pm said:

well that clears that up then!
KingOfMyCastle on the December 29th, 2005 at 3:00 pm said:

Mariko, your sums are correct. But that doesn’t explain where the missing dollar is though. Where is it?
Mariko on the December 29th, 2005 at 4:18 pm said:

?????? Give up! Where is it?????
KingOfMyCastle on the December 29th, 2005 at 4:48 pm said:

Well the answer is that there isn’t a missing dollar. Because the guys only paid $25 - but the bellboy stole the other two dollars. You should subtract 2 from 27, not add it. But the way the question is worded it makes it hard to understand.

It still hurts my head a bit.
julian on the December 29th, 2005 at 5:53 pm said:

yep. i knew that

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