[jriera]

Nothing happened to the dollar. All the money is still there. Yes, they each ended up paying $9 each for a total of $27. Plus the $3 they got back is a total of $30-it's all there. They were supposed to pay $25 but they paid $27, which makes sense because the bellhop kept $2.

Charges: $25 for the room + $2 for the bellhop=$27 $30 initial charge - $3 refund = $27 Each paid $9 and $9 x 3 = $27

The trick is in the statement, "The three men had now paid $9 each, or a total of $27. This plus the $2 the bellhop kept for himself makes a total of $29."

The $27 is the total payment and $2 is a cost, not a payment! It just happens to add up to $29 giving the illusion of a missing dollar.