The Missing Dollar Riddle

Some have probably already seen this and gotten the answer. Let's see if you guys can.

Three guests check into a hotel room. The clerk says the bill is $30, so each guest pays $10. Later the clerk realizes the bill should only be $25. To rectify this, he gives the bellhop $5 to return to the guests. On the way to the room, the bellhop realizes that he cannot divide the money equally. As the guests didn't know the total of the revised bill, the bellhop decides to just give each guest $1 and keep $2 for himself. Each guest got $1 back: so now each guest only paid $9; bringing the total paid to $27. The bellhop has $2. If the guests originally handed over $30, what happened to the remaining $1?

HAHA .Everyone is gonna Google this now.

Edit:-No I don't have the answer and I am waiting to see if anyone can answer it without cheating.

I won't give the answer but the easiest way to solve/prove this problem is to write each amount on pieces of paper.
Such as: The total bill. The revised bill. What was returned, excetra.
And physically act it out. It becomes very clear.
The main problem is adding when you should be deducting. It's a simple asset and expense exchange.

I dont know how it works and I didnt google this- but I have heard this before...

I know the answer but I wish someone would explain it to me...
There is no extra or missing dollar.. it's a mathematical illusion.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Some have probably already seen this and gotten the answer. Let's see if you guys can.

Three guests check into a hotel room. The clerk says the bill is $30, so each guest pays $10. Later the clerk realizes the bill should only be $25. To rectify this, he gives the bellhop $5 to return to the guests. On the way to the room, the bellhop realizes that he cannot divide the money equally. As the guests didn't know the total of the revised bill, the bellhop decides to just give each guest $1 and keep $2 for himself. Each guest got $1 back: so now each guest only paid $9; bringing the total paid to $27. The bellhop has $2. If the guests originally handed over $30, what happened to the remaining $1?

The math is like this $30- $5 = $25. $5- $3= $2

This group was overcharged by $2. The bellhop is a thief.

And here's the thread with a very similar word problem from a year ago.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I just love informal fallacy!

There's nothing like meeting a girl for the first time and she goes down.......

Oh wait, thats FALLACY!

Forget this whole post.

Thanks for this thread it made my head hurt, so I had to google it right away haha!

reply to post by randomtangentsrme


Nope.

Well close. I guess it's right technically.

Simple
$30 - $5 = $25
25/3 people = $8.333 each
$8.333 + $1 given back = $9.33
$9.333 x 3 = $27.99 9= $28 near enough
$28 + $2 kept = $30

Originally posted by kudegras
Simple
$30 - $5 = $25
25/3 people = $8.333 each
$8.333 + $1 given back = $9.33
$9.333 x 3 = $27.99 9= $28 near enough
$28 + $2 kept = $30

Dang it!
I actually got this one and I get beaten to the answer.....I do feel smarter than normal though.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Lets try it again then. The group was over charged by 5 dollars. Only 3 of the 5 made it back to them, and the bellhop kept 2 dollars without permission making the bellhop a thief, so yup.

And 25 dollars plus 3 dollars returned is 28 dollars, not 27, ergo they payed over $9 per, so again yup.

By subtracting the 3 they got back from the total amount of 30 it would seem they only payed $9, but you have to add that three to the 25, plus the 2 the bellhop stole to see how all the money is accounted for.

This was posted the other day.


www.abovetopsecret.com...


There seems to be more and more mods reposting stuff on ATS.

The ad revenue must be down.

reply to post by kudegras


Pretty much but long winded.

Room cost $25 (+)
Bellhop has $5 (+)
Gives $3 (-)
Keeps $2 (-)
Total cost of room $25
Total asset $30

There is no dollar.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I HATE this riddle!!!! Ya know why, even after getting the answer I still don't get it!!!!

Solution:

the problem states that "Each guest got $1 back: so now each guest only paid $9". That is not true, each guest paid $8.33, the rest was stolen from them.

total returned to guests = $3
total stolen from guests = $2

(rounded)
each guest paid $8.33 to hotel.
each guest had $1 returned to them
each guest had $0.67 stolen from them

total $30

reply to post by FrankJaeger


Dude, how is my reply long winded 6 lines the same as yours.

Originally posted by darkoperative
Solution:

the problem states that "Each guest got $1 back: so now each guest only paid $9". That is not true, each guest paid $8.33, the rest was stolen from them.

total returned to guests = $3
total stolen from guests = $2

(rounded)
each guest paid $8.33 to hotel.
each guest had $1 returned to them
each guest had $0.67 stolen from them

total $30

(rounded)
each guest paid $8.33 to hotel. = 24.99
each guest had $1 returned to them = 3.00
each guest had $0.67 stolen from them = 2.01

24.99 + 3 + 2.01 = $30.00 case closed

reply to post by darkoperative


Thank you, Sherlock Holes

reply to post by kudegras


I just mean the calculations. There's no need for decimals.
The actually pay £27 which is £9 each. They do not know it is £25 so no need for fractions.
It's easier to explain that's all. Wasn't trying to offend you.

S+F

I love this riddle and remember it from my youth. I never truly understood where the extra dollar went until today!

I always thought it was just a mathematical illusion.