[kuchka]

Three men get charged 30 dollars for a hotel room. Ten dollars apiece. The clerk realizes that the room is only 25 dollars and gives each man a dollar back. Where did the other two dollars go?

[rachel37]

Did the other two dollars go on a tip??

[Curlyben]

In the clerks pocket

It's the wording. Don't pay attention to the $27 figure. Concentrate on this.

$30 paid.

$25 Acutal cost of room due to discount

$5 owed

$1 dollar to each

$2 for the clerk.

The mythical figure of $27 ASSUMES that the cost of the room was actually $27 due to the refund of $1 per man (it should have been 25 due to the multiple occupant discount, The number 27 was never mentioned by "motel personel"). Look only at the original price and the actual discount price of $30 and $25 respectively. If you do that, the math should make sense

30 dollars paid

25 dollars actual cost of room

5 Dollars total refund

3 dollars total to the salesmen

2 dollars to the clerk

Hence an algebraic formula ((30-5)+3)+2)=30

(25+3)+2=30

28+2=30

Or:

x=$30, total paid by salesmen

y=$25 cost of room with multiple occupancy discount

z=$5 Total amount of refund due salesmen

a=$2 Amount kept by clerk

b=$3 Actual amount refunded to salesmen

Which gives you (((x-z)+b)+a)=x

Now isn't that much simpler?

[wizz83]

OK the 3 men gave the clerk $30 but he ova charged them by $5 so he said I can't give back $5 between 3 people so he gave them back $1 each so instead of paying $10 each they only paid $9 and the clerk kept the $2 so now 3x $9= $27 plus the $2 from the clerk = $29 so where did the extra dollar go ?

[morgaine300]

What mythical figure of $27? The clerk owed them $5 and only gave them $3. The clerk has the other $2.

I don't even get why it was a "riddle."

[westnlas]

Man, a $30 room, they probably used the extra buck for Lysol ! If they didn't, they should have !

I'm still trying to figure out what happened with the "black sheep's wool".

[tf7426]

Lol I know this riddle but kuchka I think got it a bit wrong

Its meant to go: three men pay £30 for a hotel room (£10 each), the manager realises he overcharged them so sends the porter after them with £5... so the porter gives each man £3 and keeps £2 tip... now each man has paid £9 each for the room, which makes £27 plus the £2 tip makes £29... what happened to the exta pound?

(I know I wrote it correct as it drives me mental each time I remember it lol)

[wizz83]

I found out where the extra $1 went... to tax:D