lateral thinking-- i need an answer!?

Question

I like to get my brain to working but I couldn't solve this one... sum1 plz HELP!

Three guys walk into a hotel, and they're going to split the cost of a room. The room is $30. They each kick in $10 and head up to their room. The manager gets wind of it and tells the clerk the room is only $25. He hands five $1 bills to the bell hop and tells him to go refund the guys' money. On the way up to the room, the bell hop gets to thinking, as bell hops are wont to do, and says to himself, "No way can three guys split $5, I'm going to help out." He stuffs $2 in his pocket, knocks on the door, gives each guy back a buck and heads back downstairs to the desk, glowing in the warmth of a job well done. So now each guy has paid $9. $9 times 3 is $27 plus the two the bell hop stole--only $29! Where is the other buck?

Answer 1

It's a play on words. Do the math. This one has been stumping people for years.

Answer 2

Why would you add the $2 the bell hop keeps? That $2 is just part of the 9 dollars they payed, since the clerk has 25 dollars, and the bell hop has 2, which adds up to 27 dollars paid. You should really add up the dollars each of the men got back (which is total of $3). That would equal 30.

So now each guy has paid $9. $9 times 3 is $27 plus the three in the guys pockets is $30! Where is the other buck? There is none.

Answer 3

The problem is that you add the $2 to the $27 to give you $29 when you should have SUBTRACTED $2 from $27 to give you $25, which is what the men paid.

9+9+9-2=25

Answer 4

not right, 25 for room, 2 to bell hop, 1 for each of three, that equals 30

Answer 5

It's only in the way the problem is done. If you take the $5 and add it to the $25 that the hotel keeps, you get your $30. But it's an interesting concept that shows us that mathematics may not be as consistent as science would lead you to believe.

Answer 6

if you look at it the other way around, the guys paid $25, the bellhop has $2, and the guys got $3 dollars back.

so, 25+2+3 = 30. the real trick is that people try to make it add to 30, but since they got money back, it shouldnt add to thirty.

Answer 7

Don't add wot the bellhop gets.
$9x3=27
27+$1+$1+$1=$30

Answer 8

Just consider the $2 as a tip they paid the bell boy.. so subtract to get room rent

Answer 9

why would you say they paid 9 dollars each? because the total bill is 25 dollars

and it adds up because..

when the gave him 30 he gave 5 back which left 25 fpr the hotel, then the bellboy took two for himself and gave 3 back to them

so 25+3+2=30

♥

Answer 10

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