Three guys rent a hotel room for the night. When they get to the hotel they pay the \$30 fee, then go up to their room. Soon the bellhop brings up their bags and gives the lawyers back $5 because the hotel was having a special discount that weekend. So the three lawyers decide to each keep one of the $5 dollars and to give the bellhop a $2 tip. However, when they sat down to tally up their expenses for the weekend the could not explain the following details:

Each one of them had originally paid $10 (towards the initial $30), then each got back $1 which meant that they each paid $9.

Question

Three guys rent a hotel room for the night. When they get to the hotel they pay the \$30 fee, then go up to their room. Soon the bellhop brings up their bags and gives the lawyers back $5 because the hotel was having a special discount that weekend. So the three lawyers decide to each keep one of the $5 dollars and to give the bellhop a $2 tip. However, when they sat down to tally up their expenses for the weekend the could not explain the following details:

Each one of them had originally paid $10 (towards the initial $30), then each got back $1 which meant that they each paid $9.

brooke2353 · Answer

Then they gave the bellhop a $2 tip. HOWEVER, 3 • $9 + $2 = $29

The guys couldn't figure out what happened to the other dollar. After all, the three paid out $30 but could only account for $29. 

Can you determine what happened?

brooke2353 · Answer

and i will give a medal for helping

phi · Answer

It's true, they put  in 10 each and got back 1 each, so each paid 9
and in total they paid
27

but the 27 includes:  25 for the hotel and 2 for the tip

that is the story:  they paid 27 total (9 each)

If you say they spent 9 each *only for the hotel* i.e. 27 for only the hotel
then you are confused. because the 27 is 25 for the hotel and 2 for the tip

you do not add in the tip a second time to get 29.

phi · Answer

If you want to get a sum of 30, you would say
they each gave 10 to the bellhop for a total of 30
the bellhop gave back 1 to each (total of 3) and kept 27
30 -3 = 27  (that the bellhop then divides into 25 for the hotel and 2 for himself)

brooke2353 · Answer

@phi There are many ways of explaining/thinking about this truly brain bending riddle! It all boils down to the fact that the lawyers's math is incorrect.

They did NOT spend $9 • 3 + $2.

They spent exactly $27 dollars. $25 for the room and $2 for the tip. Remember they got exactly $3, in total back.

Another way to think about the answer to this riddle is to just pretend that the bellhop refunded $3 to the lawyers (rather than giving them $5 and receiving $2 back).

If the lawyers get $3 back and each takes $1. They they spent exactly $27 dollars.