# This will Mess With Your Head.



## DJP (May 9, 2005)

Ok, all you smart people in MHF.... let me know when you find out the answer....

This will Mess With Your Head. 

3 MEN GO INTO A MOTEL. THE MAN BEHIND THE DESK SAID THE ROOM IS $30, SO EACH MAN PAID $10 AND WENT 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?


----------



## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

Try deducting the $2 the bellboy kept to make the $25 cost of the room. It COST the 3 men $27 in total, but the bellboy MADE $2 profit.


----------



## richs2000 (Jul 1, 2007)

i saw the subject title and just knew what the content was going to be...spooky.

This one does my head in as well. I'm a logical guy and can see both 'methods' of reaching 27 however still can't square in my head where the blessed pound/dollar goes...


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*lost dollar*

Hi,try it his way,the cost of the room $25 + $3 returned +$2 the bell boy kept = $30,does it make sense?cheers Curlyboy


----------



## richs2000 (Jul 1, 2007)

sure does...not when you run it the other way though...it's a me thing, don't try to explain,


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Try it this way:

Say the men were told the cost was $27. They each paid $9. On finding out it was only $25, the bellboy kept the $2 over.

So:

THIS MEANT THAT THE 3 MEN EACH PAID $9 FOR THE ROOM, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF $27, ADD (*no SUBTRACT*) THE $2 THAT THE BELLBOY KEPT = $29. (*no $25*)

Trickery with words

gerald


----------



## vardy (Sep 1, 2006)

As soon as the manager takes £5 out of the till, the punters have then paid £25 between them. As said, the £3 back brings it to £28 and not so daft kid keeps £2.

I'm sure I've stayed in this place..........


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Yes as Gerald said its all in the words, the sums are as vardy said straight forward 

10*3=30

30-5=25 

9*3=27-2=25

The trick is getting you to accept that 30-2 is the sum you should be doing and that is all in the way that sentence is presented to you.

Its a bit like the extra (ie not needed) bit of information that always was part of the best maths 'problems' sure as eggs people would factor it in somehow. 

In this case its the $30 although an essential part of the original transaction it is not part of this problem. 

The bell boy takes two dollars in total from the three of them.


----------



## ksebruce (Nov 5, 2006)

It's like counting your fingers. Start from your 10th and count down.. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, plus five on the other hand = 11 8O


----------

