Three men go to a motel to rent a room. The clerk charges them $30.00 for the room. Each of the men gives the clerk a $10.00 bill, totaling $30.00. The men check into their room and want to watch some TV, however the TV set does not work. They call the clerk and complain about the TV not working. The clerk does not have another set to bring to the room, nor does he have another room to let the men stay in. He tells the men he will refund some money off the price of the room. The clerk takes five $1.00 bills from his register and sets out to refund $5.00 to the men, however, he can not figure out how to split $5.00 between three men. When he gets to their room, he gave each of the men $1.00 and kept the other $2.00. That means that each of the men now paid $9.00 each for the room. Here is where the problem comes into play. $9.00 times three is $27.00. The clerk kept $2.00. $27.00 plus $2.00 is $29.00. Where is the other $1.00?
2006-10-11 16:36:42 · 16 answers · asked by gablueliner 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Out of the original $30:
-The clerk took $5 from the register which leaves $25 in the register for payment of the room.
-The clerk keeps $2 of these dollars which makes $27.
-The clerk gives the men $1 each = $3 which makes $30.
If you think of it this way, then you understand that there is no missing $ =)
2006-10-11 16:46:46 · answer #1 · answered by flossie116 4 · 3⤊ 4⤋
30 - 5 = 25
25 + 2 that the clerk kept = 27
27 + 3 dollars he gave to the men = 30
The problem is the wording in the tricky question. The clerk took $5.00 from the register making the total for the room $25.00. The three men each received $1.00 each. The clerk kept $2.00.
2006-10-11 23:55:35 · answer #2 · answered by pottersclay70 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that the guys didn't pay $9 each. The $5 comes out of $30 leaving $25, $25/3=$8.33 each to the manager, $2/3=$0.66 to the clerk and $3/3=$1 to themselves. Add it all up and it totals $30. There is no missing dollar, it's just a trick that makes it look like there is.
2006-10-11 23:47:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're playing tricks!
There was $30 in the register. The clerk removed $5, leaving $25 in the register. From that $5, he refunded $3 to the guys, and kept $2.
2006-10-11 23:47:18 · answer #4 · answered by Heidi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the clerk kept $2, then the 3 men had to pay $28, not $27. There's your missing dollar.
By the way, why are there 3 men in a motel room? Creepy.
2006-10-11 23:41:29 · answer #5 · answered by Sergio__ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This problem is called the Missing Dollar Paradox (there's a good answer on Wikipedia). There is no missing dollar. The story is misleading. The evidence is simple (everyone already mentioned it):
30 - 5 = 25
25 + 2 (clerk kept) = 27
27 + 3 (he gave) = 30
Therefore, there is no missing dollar. It may help to keep track of the money in the story by drawing a diagram.
2006-10-12 00:32:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The new room rate is only $25 and that is the amount in the register. Each man received $1 back from the original $30.
$30.00 - $3.00 = $27.00 (this is $25.00 in the register and $2.00 for the clerk).
Each of the three men paid $9.00
3 * $9.00 = $27.00 (this is $25.00 in the register and $2.00 for the clerk). There is no missing dollar, just missing logic.
2006-10-11 23:44:20 · answer #7 · answered by Richard 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
If you do the math literally there is no missing dollar. Look I'll explain.
30 - 5 = 25
25/3 = 8.3333333
Now add a dollar to all three guys and you'll have 9.33333333.
9.3333333 x 3 = 27.9999999
27.9999999 is rounded up to 28
28 + 2 = 30
If you don't round it up then it makes it look like the clerk stole an extra cent but who cares.
2006-10-11 23:55:29 · answer #8 · answered by smallviet44 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ummm.... I'd say they tip the hotel whenever they rented the room.
2006-10-11 23:47:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's only a dollar, don't worry about it. Musta been a flea bag motel.
2006-10-11 23:55:49 · answer #10 · answered by Da Boss 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋