Question

An entertaining math puzzle. Three guys are on the road and decide to stay at a small motel. They want to be cheap, so they all share a room. The attendant tells them it's $30. Each man pays $10 to cover the room and they retire for the night.

In the morning, the manager notices they were overcharged. She tells the attendant the room was only supposed to be $25. She hands the attendant 5 $1 bills to return to the customers.

On the way to the room, the attendant decides to pocket a tip for himself, and takes $2 from the $5.

Answer 1

He then informs the men they have a small refund and each man gets $1 back.

From the men's perspective, they have each spent $27. Plus the $2 the attendant pocketed makes $29.

Where did the last dollar go?

Answer 2

Sorry, should say, "From the men's perspective, they have each spent $9. Together they have spent $27."

Answer 3

Actually b4 they had paid $30. Hotel owner returned $ 5 so, actual expense of $ 25.
But in way attendent pocketed $2. therefore new actual expense $ 27 ( 30-5 + 2).
and everyone recieved $ 1 each

Answer 4

Indeed, the issue develops from incorrectly assessing the situation. If you start from the men's perspective, you have a division of 3 worked into the problem, causing a small wrinkle that makes a dollar disappear.

Answer 5

Reminds me of this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Missing_square_puzzle.svg/300px-Missing_square_puzzle.svg.png

Answer 6

That is an awesome puzzle, escolas. Thanks for sharing.