Where's the extra $?

Question

3 people need to share a room for the night. Motel owner says the cost is $30. Each person pays $10. Later, owner realizes he should've only charged $25. He sends his son to the room with 5 $1 bills. Son can't figure how to divide $5 three ways, so he gives each person $1 making their net cost $9 each and pockets the $2. Question: 3X$9=$27 + $2 boy pockets = $29. What happened to the other $1?

Answer 1

3*$9 = $27 paid for a $25 room... the son kept the $2

so.. $25 room + $2 to stupid son = $27 paid by customers

Answer 2

3*$9 = $27 paid for a $25 room... the son kept the $2

so.. $25 room + $2 to stupid son = $27 paid by customers

This is a trick question. You have to stop using $9 in the equation or it confuses you and messes things up. The boy gave $3, and kept $2. That is your answer, the $1 never dissappeared. The mistake or illusion comes from the abuse of using the figure of $9.
But, let me ask you. How do you divide $25 three ways? The answer is $8.33 (you lose a penny unless someone pays $8.34). Well, where did the $.33 come from? It dissappeared when you used the figure of $9, and reappeared here! Think about it! You might say you only have base of $24! Before, you did. But now with that extra .33 cents (times 3 to form a dollar minus a penny) you have $25 now! You add the $3 that the boy gave them, and his two that he kept back himself, and guess what? YOU HAVE $30!

Answer 3

You have to stop using $9 in the equation or it confuses you and messes things up. The boy gave $3, and kept $2. That is your answer, the $1 never dissappeared. The mistake or illusion comes from the abuse of using the figure of $9.

But, let me ask you. How do you divide $25 three ways? The answer is $8.33 (you lose a penny unless someone pays $8.34). Well, where did the $.33 come from? It dissappeared when you used the figure of $9, and reappeared here! Think about it! You might say you only have base of $24! Before, you did. But now with that extra .33 cents (times 3 to form a dollar minus a penny) you have $25 now! You add the $3 that the boy gave them, and his two that he kept back himself, and guess what? YOU HAVE $30!

Here is a shorter explanation:

($8 x $3) + (3 x $.33 (+$.01)) = $25
You add $3 to that, plus the $2, then you have $30

In a better answer to your question, the lost dollar gets split up in three ways, and gets lost in the mix if you don't keep track of it. Remember, $.33 is easier to lose than $1. When you figure out how much each person would have paid had they been given the correct amount of $25 in the first place, you can see where the $1 went.

This is my last revision. I can understand it clearly, I hope others can too.

The person below copied part of my answer and has been reported. I don't care about the 10 points, but I do mind copying. What I gave you is my material, and not copied from anywere else on Yahoo or the Web.

Answer 4

3X$9=$27 - $2 boy pockets = $25 is what the room really cost

Answer 5

When the three people were given back the $1 each the total cost of the room came to $27.00. The $2.00 the boy kept was the difference between $27.00 and $25.00 not $30.00 and $27.00.

Answer 6

who cares! its one dollar! maybe he kept it for himself! and how could you fit 3 people in a 25-dollar room?!

Answer 7

It was assimilated by the Borg