Maths riddle. Three men in a hotel room

[gregcropper]

Three men stay in a hotel room. The cost is $30, so they all put $10 in. The receptionist realises she has made a mistake. The room is only $25.Because she can't split the $5 easily, she gives them each a dollar back and keeps the $2 for herself. This means that they have each paid $9, hence 3x9 = 27. She has kept $2, making it $29. Where has the other dollar gone ? I just can't get the answer. Any ideas ? Thanks

[redcrx]

look at it the other way.

they eaxh paid 25 /3 = 8.33333

then she gave them 1 more = 9.33333

the 2 left / 3 is 0.666666

9.3333333 = 0.6666666 = 10

10 x 3 = 30

there is nothing missing

[Trevilino]

They didn't pay $30 though. They only paid $27 for a $25 dollar room and she pocketed the difference $27-$25 = $2.

[Marvelman]

The way the riddle is told makes you think that you add the $2 the receptionist kept for herself, but in fact you subtract it like you subtracted the $1 she gave the men back, hence 3x9= 27 less the 2 off the receptionist =$25.

[plowter]

Marvelman is correct that it's easy to look at the numbers the wrong way.

She actually charged $27 for the room ($25 plus the 2 dollars she kept). This left $3 from the original $30 which she returned to the men.

[blondie123]

this is a maths 'mystery' there is no answer to it!!!its one of those mystery's

[eyebrows]

blondie, its on of those life mysteries that as above have been explained....

[gillygolly]

Hi.
The $5 dollar note she took out - had 3 x$1 for the refund, meaning the lads paid $9 each and left her with $2.
3 x $9 = $27 less $2 = $25, so there is no extra dollar
Cheers

[suzz11]

no, there actually is an answer. it isnt a trick. this is how you solve it:
The answer is in the way the question is worded. You cannot add what one person HAS to what someone else has PAID and come up with any kind of a meaningful number, you have to subtract.
Each man has paid $9.
The bellhop has $2.
Difference
$9 x 3 = $27
2
$25

The hotel clerk has the other 25 dollars.
To look at it from the standpoint of the original $30. Each man has $1.
The bellhop has $2.
The hotel clerk has $25.
Total
$1 x 3 = $3
2
25
$30


therefore, the hotel clerk still has the last dollar.

[suzz11]

The answer is in the way the question is worded. You cannot add what one person HAS to what someone else has PAID and come up with any kind of a meaningful number, you have to subtract.
Each man has paid $9.
The bellhop has $2.
Difference
$9 x 3 = $27
2
$25

The hotel clerk has the other 25 dollars.
To look at it from the standpoint of the original $30. Each man has $1.
The bellhop has $2.
The hotel clerk has $25.
Total
$1 x 3 = $3
2
25
$30


therefore the hotel clerk still has the last dollar.