Do numbers lie? (dollar, bill, budget, money)

[jtur88]

The men paid $9 each for the room, = $27.
They tendered $30, and got $3 in change. = $27. All straight so far.
(Now, ignore the $30, ignore the $5. They're no longer in the equation.)
Of that $27, he manager got the $25 that he charged for the room. The bellboy got $2.
That's $27 out of pocket, all accounted for.
What extra dollar are you talking about?

Let's assume for a moment that the manager quoted $25 in the first place, and handed the three men the $5 change immediately. They consulted and said "Let's give the bellboy $2." Now the manager has his $25, the bellboy has his $2, and the night's lodging cost the men $25+$2=$27.

[daddiesgirl]

Can we adjust this riddle for inflation? I have a hard time grasping the idea of $10 hotel rooms, but giving the bellboy a $2 tip!

[Bill Keegan]

Originally Posted by daddiesgirl

Can we adjust this riddle for inflation? I have a hard time grasping the idea of $10 hotel rooms, but giving the bellboy a $2 tip!

Just multiply everything by 10. That should be fairly accurate.

And remember, the bellboy wasn't tipped. He pocketed money that was supposed to go back to the customers. He's a thief.

[trishguard]

Originally Posted by jimhcom

A riddle began back during the last depression that I have not heard for some time. I thought it would be fun to try it on some people who may not heard it.

Three men check into a hotel.
The manager charges each man $10 for his room.
After a while, the manager has second thoughts about the rate he had charged the men and decides to give them a refund.
He calls the bellhop and gives him $5 instructing him to return it to the customers.
The bellhop had difficulty figuring how to divide $5 by three people so he decided to give each of the men $1 each and keep the other $2 for himself.
So now, after the refund, each customer has paid $9 (3X$9= $27)
The bell boy has kept $2, $27+$2=$29
Where is the missing $1?

The manager kept it for himself.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by Bill Keegan

The total is $30, not $35. Imagine the cash register was empty before these guys arrived with their $30. The $5 "contributed" by the owner is just a refund from the original $30. Since each man got back a dollar, they have now paid $9 each, for a total of $27. That $27 was divided between the owner, who got $25, and the bellhop, who got $2, and ought to be fired & prosecuted as a thief.

Naw. If he were a banker, it would have had a whole bunch of zeroes behind the "2" and he would have gotten a bail-out and a bonus, as well.

Best part in all this is Jim used the phrase, "the last depression," in the opening sentence, implying we are in another depression -- and none of the Happy-Talk-Only folks shouted him down.

[Retroit]

This thread was better than watching Abbott and Costello!


Abbott And Costello 13 X 7 is 28 - YouTube

[trishguard]

Come on Jim, what's the answer?

[drshang]

Total rev = $10 x 3 = $30

Rebate of $5 = $30 - $5 = $25

Return one dollar to each of three customers reducing their outlay to $9 each, $9 x 3 = $27

Bellhop retains remaining two dollars, rebalance the $27 - $2 = $25 which equals the $30 revenue minus the $5 rebate.

No reason to be adding the $2 onto $27. Why would you do that? You can't subtract $3 out of the $5 rebate then add back on the remaining $2...doesn't make sense.

[Bill Keegan]

Originally Posted by trishguard

Come on Jim, what's the answer?

The answer was provided & discussed. Did you miss it?

[Zyngawf]

First I'll tell you I am a dork when it comes to math. I mean I am bad, but this thread makes me feel so much better. Compared to many of you I am a math genius.