Riddle
 

Three travelers stop at a motel and ask for a room. Manager says the room is $30 and they each pull out a $10 bill. Later, the manager comes to them with five $1 bills, and reporting he erred by charging them the weekday rate on a weekend when rooms are actually just $25. The travelers notice the five $1 bills cannot be evenly distributed among them, so they take each take $1, and the remaining $2 becomes a tip for the manager. At this moment, each traveler has paid a net amount of $9.

Three times nine is 27. Add the manager's tip and you have $29. Where did the remaining dollar go?

Because the FED has printed so much money, in the time it took to conduct the transaction the $ got devalued/lost that $1 in value.

shouldn't it be 25 for the room 2 for the tip and 1 each for the guests?

Ding ding ding. Flatbutt for the win. ;)

Flawed method of calculation Where did the actual $30 end up?

Of the original $30, $25 went to the motel cash register. $1 to each guest. $2 to manager.

$25+$3+$2=$30

$30-$5=$25 total for room
$25/3 = $8.34 each for their room
$8.34 +$1 = $9.34 after $1 is returned
Add their portion of the tip to each: $9.34 + $2/3 = $9.34 + .66 = $10
3x$10 =$30

Damn, Fint. There is an easy way to resolve the problem that doesn't require division rounding.

You guys are a bunch of smartypantses.


There is. The math in my question is wrong. 3 x 9 is 27. Add the three dollars returned to get 30, not the two-dollar tip.

No way I'd stay in a $30 a night room, or is that hourly rate?. next question?

Wow, an oldie!

I first heard this from one of my Drill Instructors in 1974.

Thanks for the memory, Supe.

_

Oh I have many times, particularly in W Va. It was all good but I did bring my own pillow ! :D

The question seemed to be why his presumed net did not add up to the original amount. Had to show the net was not correct.

That comes out with the right answer, but only by happenstance.

The trick is in the line: at this point each traveler has paid $9.
Not true. They have paid $9.33

But you now know that.
Best
Les

I stand by my answer. It is exactly how you account for the full $30 after starting with 3 x 9. Not coincidental happenstance. My business card says "Statistician," Fint.

It is a riddle that initially eludes most people, though.

You need a new card. You did not account for the $2 and your net from each was incorrect. You lost a dollar on the net then add 3 twice which incorrectly makes up the dollar vice 3 and 2.

My card says scientist...but that doesn't allow me to create my own math.

Oh ya, well Tabs' card says "Tabs".

Beat that!

_

Your answer is correct.

Where did you account for the $2? Not even close.

To arrive at $27, you would have to have already included the $2 tip as part of the $9 each...and the additional 3 dollars would be the ones taken back (not the construct of the problem).

Sorta my point, they will put anything you want on a card. This is mine:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1636240072.JPG