Very easy math question, yet unsolvable?

Question

I guess this is how money gets lost or stolen. Here is the question. 3 guys pay $10.00 a month for rent for a total of $30.00. The landlord was going to refund them $5.00. But since he only had $1.00 bills, he just decided to give each of the men $1.00 back and keep $2.00 for himself.

So each of the men paid $9.00 and he kept $2.00 for himself.

So with each of the men getting back a buck and having spent 9 each, $9.00 x 3 guys + landlords $2.00 he kept should equal $30.00, but it doesn't. 9x3=27, plus 2 = 29. A dollar has vanished.

Answer 1

the wording in the last paragraph is extremely misleading, because it makes you add the wrong thing. the men pay $27, and that already includes the $2 kept by the landlord. the money that needs to be added to make $30 is the $3 that the landlord gave back. the original $30 minus the $3 refunded equals $27.


edit: damn, i type too slow. those guys beat me to it.

Answer 2

Actually, the math is incorrect. What the landlord kept is the difference in the price of the rent, not and addend for the original price in the rent.

If the landlord gave back $5.00, the rent was $25.00, because $30.00- $5.00= $25.00.
Instead he gave back $3.00, and rent is $30.00 - $3.00= $27.00.

Now, because the landlord decided to keep $2.00, the rent is $2.00 higher, or $27.00 - $25.00= $2.00. Therefore, the correct problem should say 9 x3+3 which = (what each guy paid) times ( the number of guys) plus (the refund from the landlord).

Answer 3

This is an old one but a good one. I have to think about it every time.

The $2 is being added the wrong way.

The landlord refunded each man $1, so in fact, each man did pay $9 apiece, which means the landlord ended up with $27.

Which is $2 more than he should have ended up with, which was $25.

So the men gave $30, the landlord gave back $3 and kept $27, and it all adds up.

Answer 4

The landlord got $30 and gave back $3, so he kept $27. So the landlord has $27 and the men have $3 which adds to $30.

Answer 5

A dollar hasn't vanished - the reasoning here is wrong - they don't actually owe $30 anymore, they owe $25 (they got a $5 refund). So actually, 3 x $9 = $27, they actually paid $2 too much because the landlord kept $2.

Answer 6

the landlord had $3. you don't have to consider the $5 that the landlord had to give back. just think of what he actually refunded, $1 each. coz if you think of the $5 refund and not the actual amount refunded, the total rent that should have been paid was $25 and it is not possible coz there are 3 tenants and the amount is not divisible by 3.

Answer 7

A dollar is not vanished because you made a wrong computation...

Total Payments $30.00 less the $3.00refund = $27.00 <-- This is only the amount handled by the landlady,.
So, you must add 9x3=27 + 3 = 30
The 5-3=2 you said kept by the landlady is irrelevant

Answer 8

Nope. $2 vanished into the landlord's pocket. Each man should pay $8.33 and take turns paying the last penny. Each got cheated out of 66 2/3 cents. They ignore your faulty math and sue you, the landlord, in small claims court. It ends up in front of the People's Court, thousands of other cheated tenants see the show and file a class- action lawsuit against you and receive your properties in lieu of punitve damages. Now you pay them rent. If they short you on change, do you believe it magically disappeared???

Answer 9

since 3 of them paid $9 each, the total= $27.
the $2 is not included since it does not involve in the tanscation, so its out of the system.

if your insist to include the $2,
total money involved in the transcation
= money paid by 3 men + money refund + money kept by landlord
= $ ( 10 x 3 + 3 + 2 )
= $ 35

to me, the money is still in their pockets ^_^.

Answer 10

The rent rate = $30.00 - $5.00 = $25.00
They got their $1.00 back and gave $2.00 to the landlord.
It's no way the money vanished.