stupid math riddle...

[Fedorfan]

Ok i've heard this riddle of sorts too many times now:

It goes something like this 3 people check into hotel rooms and pay $10 a piece, so they give the clerk $30 dollars total, the clerk gives the money to the manager who says to give the guests $5 back for whatever reason, so to make it easy the clerk pockets 2 dollars, and gives each of the 3 guests $1 back, meaning they now paid a total of $27 amongst the 3 of them and the clerk pocketed $2. So each paid $9 x 3 =27, the clerk pocketed $2, 27+2 is $29 where did the other dollar go?

[Borodog]

There is no other dollar. $25 for the room + $2 in the clerk's pocket = $27 paid by the 3 guests.

[Fedorfan]

but they originally paid $30, the clerk was given $5 to give back to them, he pocketed $2 and gave each of the 3 guests $1 dollar back, meaning they each paid $9, 9x3 is 27, plus the $2 the clerk pocketed does not make $30, so from the original $30 what happened to the last dollar?

[Borodog]

You're kidding, right?

Who cares what they originally paid? They paid $27. There's $25 in the till and $2 in the clerk's pocket. That's $27. Case closed, Columbo.

[Homer]

[ QUOTE ]
but they originally paid $30, the clerk was given $5 to give back to them, he pocketed $2 and gave each of the 3 guests $1 dollar back, meaning they each paid $9, 9x3 is 27, plus the $2 the clerk pocketed does not make $30, so from the original $30 what happened to the last dollar?

[/ QUOTE ]

The $2 the clerk pocketed is part of the $27 they paid, so you're double counting it when you do 27+2.

The hotel has $25, the clerk has $2 and the 3 people each have $1.

[Fedorfan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
but they originally paid $30, the clerk was given $5 to give back to them, he pocketed $2 and gave each of the 3 guests $1 dollar back, meaning they each paid $9, 9x3 is 27, plus the $2 the clerk pocketed does not make $30, so from the original $30 what happened to the last dollar?

[/ QUOTE ]

The $2 the clerk pocketed is part of the $27 they paid, so you're double counting it when you do 27+2.

The hotel has $25, the clerk has $2 and the 3 people each have $1.

[/ QUOTE ]

the $2 that was pocketed was part of the original $30 that was paid right?

But how come it doesn't work when you go back from the original $30 that was initially paid, clerk receiving $5 of the 30 to return, he pockets $2 of the $5, and gives each of the 3 guests $1. So each of the 3 guests now paid $9 for a total of $27 of the original $30, the clerk has $2 of the original $30... i know it works from the hotel having $25 but shouldn't it work this way as well?

[Chips Ahoy]

[ QUOTE ]

the $2 that was pocketed was part of the original $30 that was paid right?

But how come it doesn't work when you go back from the original $30 that was initially paid, clerk receiving $5 of the 30 to return, he pockets $2 of the $5, and gives each of the 3 guests $1. So each of the 3 guests now paid $9 for a total of $27 of the original $30, the clerk has $2 of the original $30... i know it works from the hotel having $25 but shouldn't it work this way as well?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you want to add the clerk's $2 to the guest's $27? Pretend the clerk is a tax collector and you'll see you should subtract the $2 the clerk has to balance what the guests paid ($27) with what the hotel collected ($25).

[Prodigy54321]

three people have $1 each...clerk has $2..hotel has $25

the people did indeed only pay $27...$25 to the hotel...and $2 to the clerk.

I saw a response to this a while back where a person used this example...

the next night..there are 2 guests..they are charged $30..so $15 each...the hotel send the clerk back with $5 once again...the clerk pockets $3 and gives each of the guests $1...

so each gues has payed $14..that's $28...plus the $3 the clerk pocketed...for a total of $31

that's where the extra dollar went [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[PairTheBoard]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
but they originally paid $30, the clerk was given $5 to give back to them, he pocketed $2 and gave each of the 3 guests $1 dollar back, meaning they each paid $9, 9x3 is 27, plus the $2 the clerk pocketed does not make $30, so from the original $30 what happened to the last dollar?

[/ QUOTE ]

The $2 the clerk pocketed is part of the $27 they paid, so you're double counting it when you do 27+2.

The hotel has $25, the clerk has $2 and the 3 people each have $1.

[/ QUOTE ]

the $2 that was pocketed was part of the original $30 that was paid right?

But how come it doesn't work when you go back from the original $30 that was initially paid, clerk receiving $5 of the 30 to return, he pockets $2 of the $5, and gives each of the 3 guests $1. So each of the 3 guests now paid $9 for a total of $27 of the original $30, the clerk has $2 of the original $30... i know it works from the hotel having $25 but shouldn't it work this way as well?

[/ QUOTE ]

Suppose it was like this. The guests pay $100. The Hotel-Casino realizes they are VIP's and decides to comp them the rooms. It gives $100 to the Clerk to refund to the Guests. But the thieving clerk keeps the entire $100 and screws the Guests. So now the Guests have paid $100 for the room plus the $100 the clerk keeps makes $200. Where did the extra $100 come from?

It's the same reasoning you are using and makes just as little sense.

PairTheBoard

[Lestat]

Any chance you're looking to buy some prime desert real estate? Let me know... I've got a REALLY good deal for ya!