Question

Three men go to stay at a motel and the clerk
charges them $30.00 for the room. They split the cost ten
dollars each. Later the manager tells the clerk that he over-
charged the men and that the actual cost should have been
$25.00. He gives the clerk $5.00 and tells him to give it to the
men. But he decides to cheat them and pockets $2.00. He then
gives each man a dollar. Now each man has paid $9.00 to stay in
the room and 3 X $9.00 = $27.00. The clerk pocketed $2.00.
$27.00 + $2.00 = $29.00. So where is the other $1.00?

Answer 1

Why are you adding the $2.00, shouldn't you be subtracting if you are trying to account for the original 30.00?
27-2= 25.00
25+5=30

Answer 2

Look the motel got 25
The men got 3
The clerk got 2
Total 30. I think that accounts for it.

Answer 3

Sounds like an accounting question lol.

Answer 4

hehe

Answer 5

more like a math fallacy, yes, there are several of them

Answer 6

mathematically is correct, logically it isn't

Answer 7

One reason I enjoyed math a long time ago, if you were able to get an answer, you could usually prove it, other subjects kind of left me in a lurch.

Answer 8

Good day, and have fun.

Answer 9

Look at it this way:

Three men go to stay at a motel and the clerk charges them $30.00 for the room.

They split the cost and pay $10.00 each.

Later the manager tells the clerk that due to an advertizing promotion the room should have been free.

He gives the clerk the $30.00 back and tells him to give it back to the men.

But the clerk decides to cheat them and pockets $27.00, giving each man only a dollar back.

Now each man has paid $9.00 to stay in the room and 3 X $9.00 = $27.00.

And the clerk has $27.00 that he pocketed.

$27.00 + $27.00 = $54.00.

Sounds like the same wall street math that led to our economic meltdown. Can we spell "subprime mortgages"?