Monday, February 4, 2008

Riddle me this

I need something to distract and entertain everyone while I am busy. Let's try a riddle.

Three college buddies are on a "road trip" and stop to spend the night in a hotel.

The Hotel manager informs them that the cost is $30 for the night, so they each turn over a $10 bill.

As they are making their way to their room, the manager remembers that he is offering a $5 discount that night and sends his assistant with 5 one dollar bills to make things right.

The three buddies give the assistant a $2 tip and each take one of the three remaining dollars.

Here is the problem. They have now each payed $9. $9 X 3 = $27. $27 + $2 (tip) = $29. But we started with $30. So the question is, "Where is the missing dollar?"

I will weigh in at the end (and/or beginning) of each day.

If you already know the answer don't spoil it for anyone else... But you can help me by answering any questions that come up during the day.

Don't let yourself get bogged down with complex things like taxes or the assistant being into "dollar-bill origami". It is a very simple problem with a very simple answer. And hopefully, the solution will help illuminate the conversation about Mary Kay!

Good luck!

13 comments:

  1. Dude, I suck at math. The only thing I can figure is that since 25 isn't divisible by 3 they actually only would have had to pay $8.33 to cover it, so the other dollar is split b/w them as they each overpaid their share $25 by $.67

    ~Shades of Pink~

    ReplyDelete
  2. P.S. It's TOO EARLY for math!!! ;)

    Am I close?

    ~Shades of Pink~

    ReplyDelete
  3. The following night two of the friends check into the same motel. Once again the clerk charges them $30, or $15 per person. After the clerk remembers the total rate is only $25 he sends the bellhop upstairs with five $1 bills to pay the two friends back. The bellhop knows he got away with larceny once so he tries it again. But this time he pockets $3 and returns $2 to the hotel guests ($1 per guest). So each of the two guests got $1 back from their original $15. Therefore each paid $14 which is a total payment of $28 for the room. Now the bellhop has $3, the guests paid $28, for a total of $31....THERE'S THE MISSING DOLLAR!!!!

    ROTFL

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just kidding....

    I know the solution to the OP, but I'll keep quiet for now...

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Each man paid $8.33 and tipped the bellman $0.67. $8.33 + 0.67 = $9. $9 time 3 = $27, $25 plus the $2 tip. Which was what was paid. There is no extra $2.

    ReplyDelete
  6. OK. Thelma has what I have, too. Are we right? :)

    ~Shades of Pink~

    ReplyDelete
  7. You all make some interesting observations, but you are really only repeating the original story.

    The problem is when you add it all up.

    They each spent $9 - agreed?

    $9 x 3 is $27 - agreed?

    $27 + $2 (tip) is $29 - agreed?

    $29 is not $30 - agreed?

    So where is the missing dollar?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Can I solve? Have I waited long enough> :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. not yet shay... let's give everyone a few days to figure it out!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The problem is when you add it all up.

    They each spent $9 - agreed? YES!

    $9 x 3 is $27 - agreed? YES!

    $27 + $2 (tip) is $29 - agreed? NO!
    It should be $27 MINUS $2 is $25.

    $29 is not $30 - agreed? NO!
    There is no missing dollar.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree --$ 25 / 3 = $8.33 for 2 and $ 8.34 for 1 (The difference is the missing $ 1)

    ReplyDelete

For Further Reading...

This Week On Pink Truth - Click Here
Pros and Cons of Mary Kay - Read or Contribute or Both!
First Post - Why I Started This Blog
The Article I Wrote For ScamTypes.com (here) (there)
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