Ok I received this math problem in an email this week, I even sent my teenage son with this problem for his math teacher to solve... will know if he solves it tonight...
So here it goes:
3 guys need to rent a room together at a motel. The clerk tells them it's 30$. So they pay each 10$ and go to their room.
But the clerk realizes that the room was actually 25$. So she sends the busboy up with 5$ to give back to the guys. The busboy thought it would be hard to split 5$ between the 3 guys so he decides to give them 3$ back and keep 2$ for himself. So the guys ended up paying 9$ each for the room.
But if you make 9$ X3 = 27$
Who has the missing 1$ ?????
Anyone can solve this one?
Ok I received this math problem in an email this week, I even sent my teenage son with this problem for his math teacher to solve... will know if he solves it tonight...
So here it goes:
3 guys need to rent a room together at a motel. The clerk tells them it's 30$. So they pay each 10$ and go to their room.
But the clerk realizes that the room was actually 25$. So she sends the busboy up with 5$ to give back to the guys. The busboy thought it would be hard to split 5$ between the 3 guys so he decides to give them 3$ back and keep 2$ for himself. So the guys ended up paying 9$ each for the room.
But if you make 9$ X3 = 27$
Who has the missing 1$ ?????
Anyone can solve this one?
I think I found your missing dollar. The roommates should have paid $8.33 for the room. Becaue $25 divided by 3=$8.333. I hope you get it because I do. --so $8.333x3=$24.999
I think that last part of the story is confusing to me.
I have no idea where who got that dollar. I see what you are saying now.
You are going to have me thinking about this all day 
Its going to drive me insain! 
You are going to have me thinking about this all day
Its going to drive me insain!
that's why I've sent my son with this problem to ask his teacher...
it gives me headaches just to think about this..... Even DH who's really really good in math can't seem to solve it....
Wanna share a bottle of Tylenol with me?? 
Wanna share a bottle of Tylenol with me??
Please
I am really starting to get a headache.
monica was almost there.....
there is no missing dollar.....
when you divide 25 by 3 you get 8.3333333
when you give 3 dollars back they each paid 9.3333333 when you multiply that times 3 ....you get 28 dollars....add that to the 2 dollars the busboy kept you have 30 dollars.....
I swore I wasnt gonna post til I figured it out!! my kids kept trying to take the calculator too!!! 
monica was almost there.....
there is no missing dollar.....
when you divide 25 by 3 you get 8.3333333
when you give 3 dollars back they each paid 9.3333333 when you multiply that times 3 ....you get 28 dollars....add that to the 2 dollars the busboy kept you have 30 dollars.....
I swore I wasnt gonna post til I figured it out!! my kids kept trying to take the calculator too!!!
then the busboy should've give them back .6666666666$ each instead of 1$ ??????? I don't understand it......
Each Guy pd $10 ($30) - the room was actually $25, split evenly is $8.33 plus an extra $2 for the bellboy which divided by 3 is $.67 so they each paid for their share of the room 8.33 and the their share of the $2 extra = $.67. That equals $9.00 ea, plus the dollar given back to each is $10 each, so the answer to the question is that the extra dollar is in the original price of $25 bcuz they each paid 8 dollars and 33 and one third cents.
That probably doesn't make sense but its rite...hard to put into words!!!!
then the busboy should've give them back .6666666666$ each instead of 1$ ???????
I don't understand it......
when you work it out on a calculator this is how it works out...
25 dived by 3 = 8.3333333333333333
add a dollar = 9.33333333333333
multiply times 3 = 28
add the 2 dollars the busboy has...= 30
thats the calculated answer the other way to look at it is...
the room was 25 the busboy kept 2 = 27 add the 3 dollars he gave them back you have 30
ok, I think I understand now.....
I had to read it a few times but it comes clear in my head now.. You to do it backwards in sense. Not try to calculate from what was paid at first but how it costs really, and then go to what was paid at first... ok..... of course it makes sense
monica was almost there.....
there is no missing dollar.....
when you divide 25 by 3 you get 8.3333333
when you give 3 dollars back they each paid 9.3333333 when you multiply that times 3 ....you get 28 dollars....add that to the 2 dollars the busboy kept you have 30 dollars.....
I swore I wasnt gonna post til I figured it out!! my kids kept trying to take the calculator too!!! then the busboy should've give them back .6666666666$ each instead of 1$ ???????
I don't understand it......
I googled it & found this. I understand this version:
The facts in this riddle are clear: There is an initial $30 charge. It should have been $25, so $5 must be returned and accounted for. $3 is given to the 3 friends, $2 is kept by the bellhop - there you have the $5. The trick to this riddle is that the addition and subtraction are done at the wrong times to misdirect your thinking - and quite successfully for most. Each of the 3 friends did indeed pay $9, not $10, and as far as the friends are concerned, they paid $27 for the night. But we know that the clerk will tell us that they were charged only $25 and when you add the $3 returned with the $2 kept by the bellhop, you come up with $30.
Dang thats confusing to me. But I somewhat understand it.
I think it's easier to think of it this way.....The guys paid $30 ($10 each), then got $3 back ($1 each), therefore they actually paid in total $27 ($9 each). Then......the busboy took his cut ($2) reducing what the motel got which was $25 ($27 - $2).
There is no missing $1.00! Yippy!!!!!
I think it's easier to think of it this way.....The guys paid $30 ($10 each), then got $3 back ($1 each), therefore they actually paid in total $27 ($9 each). Then......the busboy took his cut ($2) reducing what the motel got which was $25 ($27 - $2).
There is no missing $1.00! Yippy!!!!!
I totally understand that. Crystal clear. Thank you 
I think it's easier to think of it this way.....The guys paid $30 ($10 each), then got $3 back ($1 each), therefore they actually paid in total $27 ($9 each). Then......the busboy took his cut ($2) reducing what the motel got which was $25 ($27 - $2).
There is no missing $1.00! Yippy!!!!!
I totally understand that. Crystal clear. Thank you
You are welcome!
I kinda have always liked math (logical) problems. The real problem comes when I am trying to explain my logic to my teenage daughter who looks (and thinks) in a totally different perspective from me. It is soooooooooo frustrating.
This thread is too funny! And, it is exactly why I hated math and still do.
I'm going to tell DH this!
Quoted response from a puzzle site....
We have to be careful what we are adding together. Originally, they paid $30, they each received back $1, thus they now have only paid $27. Of this $27, $25 went to the manager for the room and $2 went to the bellboy.
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