Interesting math problem

[Brian Mitchell]

3 men go into a hotel. Manager says room is $30, so each man pays $10 and go. The manager realizes the room is only $25, sends the bellboy with $5. Bellboy can't figure out how to split the $5 evenly so he gives each a dollar and keeps two. Three men paid $9 each for the room, total of $27. Add the $2 that the bellboy kept, $29. Where's the other dollar?

[chartrand]

Cost of the room was 25 not 30 so you subtract the $2 to get $25, you do not add it to try and get to $30 as suggested.

Makes you think though.
-Patrick

[blndnwo2luv]

Ok, I give up...

[fkostyun]

Simple really, there is no extra dollar. The mistake is not adding the $2 stolen to the room cost.

$25 for room, $2 stolen by bellhop, $3 returned = $30 - in reality the men paid $27 not $25 for the room.

[soks]

Each men gives ten bucks and leaves
The manager then gives the bellhop five dollars to give back to the men
The bellhop is apparently incompetent and stupid and only gives each man a dollar back

so 25 - cost of room plus three dollars that they are given back together so:

25 + 3 = 28

In reality the bellhop isn't that dumb but actually smart as he keeps the two remaining dollars so

28 + 2 = 30

The actually math problem is not actually a math problem but rather a psychological question. Of course the math is incorrect, however the question tries to trick you without actually being blatantly pointed out

[Randy]

I know it's a bit of an older riddle, but where these days can you stay for $25 or $30? Someone needs to update the math for the $99 or $129 they charge these days for a basic room....:)

[tfischer]

I know it's a bit of an older riddle, but where these days can you stay for $25 or $30? Someone needs to update the math for the $99 or $129 they charge these days for a basic room....:)

I tried to do it, using $99 for the room, but it ruined the simplicity of the problem. It would be better to change it from a room to a meal or something, and keep the amounts the same :).

[indytycoon]

Cost of the room was $90, each man paid $30. The manager realized the room was only $85 and sent the bellboy back with $5 He gives each man 1 dollar and pockets $2. The three men paid $29 each for a total of $87 plus $2 the bellboy kept, where is the other dollar?


Is that better economies?

[fkostyun]

Cost of the room was $90, each man paid $30. The manager realized the room was only $85 and sent the bellboy back with $5 He gives each man 1 dollar and pockets $2. The three men paid $29 each for a total of $87 plus $2 the bellboy kept, where is the other dollar?


Is that better economies?

Must have been a Holiday Inn Express!

[mestalights]

I know it's a bit of an older riddle, but where these days can you stay for $25 or $30? Someone needs to update the math for the $99 or $129 they charge these days for a basic room....:)

It must be today’s economics. From the time they paid for the room till the bellboy returned their money the $30 was only worth $29.:giggle:

[indytycoon]

Must have been a Holiday Inn Express!

OK how about this?

Cost of the room was $180, each man paid $60. The manager realized the room was only $160 and sent the bellboy back with $20 He gives each man 5 dollars and pockets $5. The three men paid $55 each for a total of $165 plus $5 the bellboy kept, where is the other 10 dollars?

[mnkyboy]

A group of 3 men were at a Widget Convention. The total Cost of the rooms was $900, each man paid $300. The manager realized the rooms were only $850 and sent the bellboy back with $50. He gives each man $10 and pockets $20. The three men paid $290 each for a total of $870 plus $20 the bellboy kept. Where is the other $10?


Sorry, They stayed at the Marriott Convention Center SanDiego..

[indytycoon]

A group of 3 men were at a Widget Convention. The total Cost of the rooms was $900, each man paid $300. The manager realized the rooms were only $850 and sent the bellboy back with $50. He gives each man $10 and pockets $20. The three men paid $290 each for a total of $870 plus $20 the bellboy kept. Where is the other $10?


Sorry, They stayed at the Marriott Convention Center SanDiego..

Was this one day? :eek:

[mnkyboy]

Was this one day? :eek:

At the Marriott San Diego Convention center... Yep per night .. Bayfront rooms on the weekends.. Have stayed there twice... 1 time for an aniversary trip, second for the Red Bull AirRace so we could watch the AirRace from the room. You get a great veiw of CVN76 if its in port too.

[amcdonald307]

Here is another imponderable:
I contend that .99999 repeating actually does equal 1.
Let x = .99999..., then 10 times x = 9.99999...
If we subtract the first equation from the second,
10x = 9.99999...
- x = .99999...
---------------
9x = 9.00000
Divide both sides by 9 and we see that x actually is exactly equal to 1.
The math is correct, try it for any number: where x=6, x=115, etc...

So, are you convinced that .9 repeating does indeed equal 1?

[soks]

I must be lucky. I never stay in a hotel but always rent out a house. Usually on the beach or right by it.

[ChuckHutchings]

Here is another imponderable:
I contend that .99999 repeating actually does equal 1.
Let x = .99999..., then 10 times x = 9.99999...
If we subtract the first equation from the second,
10x = 9.99999...
- x = .99999...
---------------
9x = 9.00000
Divide both sides by 9 and we see that x actually is exactly equal to 1.
The math is correct, try it for any number: where x=6, x=115, etc...

So, are you convinced that .9 repeating does indeed equal 1?

The math is incorrect. If you use X = .999 you'll see the fallacy immediately when you do the subtraction. The answer is actually 9X = 8.9999....

On the other hand, if you repeat .999999... infinitely you do approach one so it's close enough for rocket science.

[soks]

On the other hand, if you repeat .999999... infinitely you do approach one so it's close enough for rocket science.

I'm pretty sure that as a statement or a fact is false. Uh... let's see screw one little number up and a satelite will fall from space. I don't think so

[terrypowerz]

The math is incorrect. If you use X = .999 you'll see the fallacy immediately when you do the subtraction. The answer is actually 9X = 8.9999....

On the other hand, if you repeat .999999... infinitely you do approach one so it's close enough for rocket science.

heh heh heh... he said "fallacy"...

http://blogs.chron.com/specialfeatures/archives/beavis.jpg