c9: (Banging my Head)
c9 ([personal profile] c9) wrote2006-07-28 03:22 pm

A Puzzle for your Friday

Three people check into a hotel. They pay $300 to the manager and go to their room.

The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is $250 and gives $50 to the bellboy to return to the people.

On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that $50 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets $20 and gives $10 to each person.

Now each person paid $100 and got back $10. So they paid $90 each, totalling $270. The bellboy has $20, totalling $290.

Where is the missing $10?

[identity profile] zanate.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
What missing $10? I see no missing $10. The customers paid $270, the manager has $250 and the bellboy has $20. "$290" is meaningless. Nice try!

You can screen this if you want :)

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Correct!

[identity profile] rostin79.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
there is no missing $10 :-P. The bellboy's $20 should be deducted, making what they pay $250.

I remember this one from awhile ago, and knew the trick was some add/subtract misunderstanding at some point. took me a second.

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Correct!

[identity profile] senhor.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
The bellboy kept $20, but he refunded $30. So, out of the the initial $300, he paid $30. $300 minus refund = $270, $270 - $20 = $250. Yay, math!

[identity profile] senhor.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
That coulda been explained so much better, but eh...basically, each person has -$90, and the bellboy has -$30.

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Confusing!

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Correct!

[identity profile] sassy-red-head.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Yumm it's not missing...you are using bad math!

[identity profile] gueny.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Toal of 300 dollars...

$250 to pay for hotel + $30 for the "refund" + $20 for the bell boy = $300

[identity profile] jdhorner.livejournal.com 2006-07-28 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
LOL @ using an old brain teaser and updating it for inflation. :) the one -i'm- used to seeing is a $30 hotel room that's actually $25. heh.

there IS no missing money.
the men paid $270 total. $250 to the manager, and $20 to the bellboy. the fact that they also originally paid an extra $30 and then got it back again is entirely irrelevant.

[identity profile] jdhorner.livejournal.com 2006-07-29 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
phew.
i've been waiting for that for a whole day!

[identity profile] benjidacruick.livejournal.com 2006-07-29 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd hate to leave you hanging Josh!