Clue to Riddle #28: Hotel Room, Bellboy and the Missing Dollar

28. 3 men go into a hotel. The man behind the desk says a room is $30 so each man pays $10 and goes to the room.

A while later the man behind the desk realized the room was only $25 so he sent the bellboy to the 3 guys' room with $5. On the way the bellboy couldn't figure out how to split $5 evenly between 3 men, so he gave each man a $1 and kept the other $2 for himself.

This meant that the 3 men each paid $9 for the room, which is a total of $27 add the $2 that the bellboy kept = $29. Where is the other dollar?
three men go into a hotel missing dollar picture
This puzzle is confusing rather than difficult. I found it useful to consider the following related puzzle.
3 men go into a hotel. The man behind the desk says a room is $3000 so each man pays $1000 and goes to the room.

A while later the man behind the desk realized the room was only $25 (he's that stupid,) so he sent the bellboy to the 3 guys' room with $2975. On the way the bellboy couldn't figure out how to split $2975 evenly between 3 men, so he gave each man a $991 and kept the other $2 for himself.
An exact parallel to the missing dollar question would now be:
This meant that the 3 men each paid $9 for the room, which is a total of $27 add the $2 that the bellboy kept = $29. Where is the other $2971?
But hopefully now we have made the amount much bigger we can see where it went.


Where next?
Questions Answer





© Nigel Coldwell 2004 -  – The questions on this site may be reproduced without further permission, I do not claim copyright over them. The answers are mine and may not be reproduced without my expressed prior consent. Please inquire using the link at the top of the page. Secure version of this page.
 


PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online.
PayPal
I always think it's arrogant to add a donate button, but it has been requested. If I help you get a job though, you could buy me a pint! - nigel

This Website Uses Cookies

To increase the functionality of the site. The cookies I apply do not uniquely identify you, by continuing to use this site you agree to let me place a cookie. I also have advert and analytics providers, my advertising provider (Google,) does provide personalised adverts unless you specify otherwise, with them. For more information click here.x
+