A Proper Number Mystery

Hi all this is my first post, like most im not sure if its in the right place but here goes.

After seeing a couple of threads about the year you were born and your age adding up to 111, which isn't really anything special, i was reminded of a number puzzle which i thought i would share. i think its quite well known but in case you havent heard it i'll post it.

It goes:

3 friends go to a hotel to spend the night, they go to the check in desk where they are asked to pay 30 pound for the room. they agree that 10 pound each is fair and split accordingly. they pick up their bags and go to their room. They are only in the room for a minute when a bell boy knocks at the door.
He tells them that their was a special offer on at the moment and their room should of only been 25 pound not 30. With this he hands over 5 pounds in change. The men, not being able to split 5 pounds evenly, decide to keep a pound each and give the bellboy 2 pound as a tip.

Now, with the blokes getting a pound back they have only spent 9 pound each on the room. 3 x 9 = 27 plus the 2 pound tip to the bell boy this equalls 29.

Where did the other pound go???

The 2 pound tip is already included in that 27 lbs, so you don't add that to the total price, however not included in that total is the 3 lbs they kept for themselves.

Is this really ATS material though

reply to post by originunknown


They were left with £25 plus £1 each which comes to £28...

So they devided £28 between the three of them not £27.

Not a mystery, just counting it wrong.

Nothing disappeared, here we go:

1. Paid 25 for the room
   
2. They gave 2 for tip, which gives 25 + 2 = 27 so far
   
3. The remaining 1 pound they each receive back : 27 + 3 = 30
   

Not a new thing, it's all over the internet

You don't add the £2.. 9x3-27 and if you add the £3 that would make £30..

Lol i had to draw it out

Yep, its all there. For a second I thought the universe had not calculated such a scenario

Originally posted by quantum_flux
The 2 pound tip is already included in that 27 lbs, so you don't add that to the total price, however not included in that total is the 3 lbs they kept for themselves.

Is this really ATS material though

edit on 24-1-2011 by quantum_flux because: The British are using pounds still

Btw lbs is only used for weight, not for money..
It's just pounds or £

reply to post by Misterlondon


Is it a pound of apples or a pound of feathers they paid the bellhop in?

I thought they didn't tip people in England.

Why the 5 pound rebate?

I knew there was something fishy about this post.

each of the men paid 9 pound for the room. the bell boy has 2 pound tip. which equall 29.

it probably isnt ats material but if there can be 3 threads on ages adding up to 111 then there can be one for this.

the confusing thing is when you try to think that they paid 9 pound each for the room, they didnt as they spent £8.33 recurring each on the room and paid £0.66 recurring each for the tip, leaving them with one pound each from £10.
i hadnt heard this one for a while though and may have to confuse some people i know with it, so s&f even though it is not a mystery

reply to post by quantum_flux


we do tip in england, just taxi drivers and waiters/waitresses at decent restaurants.
we dont tip at burger king,kfc et al.. and we sometimes tip the people who deliver us takeaway/takeout food

Two fathers and two sons go to the same hotel...

They split the room price of £27 between them but end up paying £9 each with no change in return.

How is that possible?

reply to post by nakiannunaki


there were 3