Can someone explain this to me? $@*#_@!!! riddles...

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
Someone asked me this question today, and it has me all screwed up. Eventually, he told me the "answer," and perhaps i'm being stupid, but i still don't get it. Anyways, i figured this was as good a place as any to ask, since i know there are lots of smart cookies out there.

Here's the problem he gave me, see if you can figure it out... it's kinda long, so hang in there. Here goes...

Three college students are driving together, on their way to spring break down in Florida. They've been driving all day, so they decide to stop, and get a room for the night. After finding a motel, they go to the front desk and are told that it will be $30 for the night. They agree, each give the clerk $10, and head to their room.

A little while later, the clerk realizes that she overcharged the men by five dollars. So she takes 5 one dollar bills out of the register, and asks the bellhop to return them to the men.

Now, the bellhop isn't the most trustworthy sort, and he figures the students will never know the difference, so he decides to keep two dollars for himself. He returns one dollar each to the students, who are never the wiser.

Now, here comes the complicated part. Now, the men originally paid $10 each for the room. They then each got one dollar back from the bellhop, so that means they are each 9 dollars out of pocket for the room. There are 3 men, and $9 times 3 = $27. Plus remember the bellhop kept two dollars for himself, so add that in... $27 + $2 = $29.

But the men paid $30 for the room originally???? Where did the extra dollar go? Remember, each of the men paid 10 bucks and was given one back = $9, three men = 3 x $9 = $27, plus the two the bellhop kept + $29.

What am i missing????????????? I know someone can figure this out.....

 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
The real thing to remember is that the room cost $25. $25 for the room + $2 for the dishonest bellboy = $27. Which is exactly how much the men are out.

The 3x9 ALREADY INCLUDES the bellboy's "tip," & shouldn't be added in again. It should add to $27, not $30.

Viper GTS
 

jmcoreymv

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,264
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0
They each paid 8.33 for the room, and .66 for the bellhop, and got a dollar back.
 

raptor13

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,719
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Viper pretty much got that nailed down. It's not really that complicated if you just apply a force commonly known as "logic." ;)
 

cgclausen

Senior member
Aug 6, 2000
290
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0
It's because they didn't pay 9 bucks a piece for the room they each payed 9.33333 (continued infinately) $30 (payed up front) - $5( money given back) = $25, 25/3=8.333 they each got back $1 so $8.33333 +$1 = $9.333333, 9.333333*3=28, 28+2(the amount the guy stole = 30
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
thanks Viper.... your way of explaining it made a lot more sense than my friend's way :)
 

Santa

Golden Member
Oct 11, 1999
1,168
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Well the thing is each person owed $8.33 no 9.00 so in getting the extra .33 each back which was part of what the cleak owed them that is like getting 0.67 to round off to 9.00/person and then 1 dollar extra.

So to riddle perhaps is thinking how much they really owed and it was not that they owed 9.00 each but its how much they ended up being out of pocket because of the slimy bellhop.

Damn same here.. you guys are too quick for santa..