Math doesnt add up...

[Yahweh]

Here is one of those funny (not really) math jokes I heard years and years and years ago:

Three businessmen walk into a hotel. The hotel clerk tells them that their stay will cost US$30. The three businessmen agree to split the cost equally, they each pay US$10.

When the men arrive at their room, the hotel clerk realize's he's made an error!!!!!!! The cost wasnt US$30, it was US$25. The hotel clerk sends a bellhop up to the 3 businessmen's room with US$5.

Upon hearing the news, the 3 businessmen decide to take US$3 to keep the cost equal, and tip the rest to the bellhop for his assistance.

Apparently the businessmen payed US$9 each for their stay at the hotel.

3*9=27

They gave US$2 to the bellhop.

27+2=29

Where'd that extra dollar go?

 

[espritch]

They didn't pay 27 for the hotel rooms. They paid 25 and gave 2 to the bellhop for a total of 27 paid leaving 3 dollars change from the original 30 to be split evenly between them.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

They paid 25$ total for the Hotel, and two dollars to the bellhop, and kept 3...

25 + 3 + 2 =30

So you have to say they each paid an amount to equal 25 together for the room (30 dollars minus the two to the bellhop and minus three they got back).

They only paid 25 for room which is x amount each. Then plus 1$ each and two to the bellhop=30

So they only paid 25 for the room, +2 for the bellhop = $27


They each paid 25/3 for the room and 2/3 for the bellhop.

25 + 2 = 27.


Whichever way you work it, they paid 9 each when you work in the bellhop cost and room cost. 25 + 2 =27.

No missing dollar.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

They didn't pay 27 for the hotel rooms. They paid 25 and gave 2 to the bellhop for a total of 27 paid leaving 3 dollars change from the original 30 to be split evenly between them.

Man, we were posting at the same time. I got up to make my baby a bottle in the middle though.

 

[CurtC]

My favorite, elegant, answer to this puzzle (which my uncle told me as a kid more than 30 years ago) is that you shouldn't add the two dollars, you should subtract it. The men each paid $27, minus the two that went to the bell boy leaves $25 for the hotelier.