Another math problem: Three salesmen go into a hotel, ask for a room and pay five dollars each. Bellman takes them to their room. Counter clerk feels guilty because the room is really...

redlegfrog

Three salesmen go into a hotel, ask for a room and pay five dollars each. Bellman takes them to their room. Counter clerk feels guilty because the room is really ten dollars. Clerk gives the bellman five singles to return to the salesman. Because the salesmen didn't tip the bellman he keeps two dollars and returns the other three to the salesmen.
Now we know each salesman paid four dollars. 3 X $4.00 = $12.00 and the bellman has $2.00 so $12.00 + $2.00 = $14.00 Where is the other $1.00 ?

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

Taxes 😝

BillMac Loc: Crescent City California

Again this is a case of the old adage "figures don't lie but lier's figure."

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

BillMac wrote:

Again this is a case of the old adage "figures don't lie but lier's figure."

It is really two question or problem, i.e., simultaneous equations.
(a): 15-5=10
(b): (1+1+1+1+1)-2-3-X=0
Add Equations a&b
10-X=10
X=0

There is no extra dollar! The salesmen should have been charged ~$3.33 each originally, 3.33+3.33+3.34=10.

redlegfrog

You always have to look at your problems from more that one direction

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

lamiaceae wrote:

It is really two question or problem, i.e., simultaneous equations.
(a): 15-5=10
(b): (1+1+1+1+1)-2-3-X=0
Add Equations a&b
10-X=10
X=0

There is no extra dollar! The salesmen should have been charged ~$3.33 each originally, 3.33+3.33+3.34=10.

The equation is correct. The bellman should have return $1.67 to each customer so the bellman actually has a $2.99 cent tip if he had done it correctly

Millismote Loc: Massachusetts

12+3=15, the other dollar is in the clerks pocket.

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

There is no money missing:
The clerk has now $10 in his cash drawer, the bellman $2 in his pocket, and salesmen $1 each; 10 + 2 + 3= 15. Simple, high school arithmetic.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

redlegfrog wrote:

Three salesmen go into a hotel, ask for a room and pay five dollars each. Bellman takes them to their room. Counter clerk feels guilty because the room is really ten dollars. Clerk gives the bellman five singles to return to the salesman. Because the salesmen didn't tip the bellman he keeps two dollars and returns the other three to the salesmen.
Now we know each salesman paid four dollars. 3 X $4.00 = $12.00 and the bellman has $2.00 so $12.00 + $2.00 = $14.00 Where is the other $1.00 ?

Yes, that is an old one. As lami said, "There is no extra dollar."

Dannj

I think I was about 8 years old when my Dad hit me with this riddle. It drove me crazy. Over the years I've had fun with it with my own kids too. Last year I was visiting my 9 year old grandson and had him take a shot at it; he told me he was going to ask his friends to try and solve it. When he came home from school the next day he said he had a great time with it as his friends struggled with the answer...he even got the teacher involved. Great, I thought, a good opportunity for the teacher. A couple of days later he came home and said the teacher told him she gave up and wanted to know the answer. Unfortunately, this is a true story😢

stevesf

It sounds like state budget calculations here in Connecticut.

whitewolfowner

redlegfrog wrote:

Three salesmen go into a hotel, ask for a room and pay five dollars each. Bellman takes them to their room. Counter clerk feels guilty because the room is really ten dollars. Clerk gives the bellman five singles to return to the salesman. Because the salesmen didn't tip the bellman he keeps two dollars and returns the other three to the salesmen.
Now we know each salesman paid four dollars. 3 X $4.00 = $12.00 and the bellman has $2.00 so $12.00 + $2.00 = $14.00 Where is the other $1.00 ?

Your math is flawed. If each salesman paid $5, then 3 X 5 = 15. The clerk gave the bellman $5 to give back to the salesmen, since he over charged them the $5. So 15 - 5 = 10; the correct amount for the room. The bellman keeps $2 and return $3 to the salesmen. All money is accounted for.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Another one - count backwards on the fingers of one hand. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. Now add that 6 to the 5 fingers on your other hand. Voila! You have 11 fingers. : )

whitewolfowner

jerryc41 wrote:

Another one - count backwards on the fingers of one hand. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. Now add that 6 to the 5 fingers on your other hand. Voila! You have 11 fingers. : )

Is that how that happened. And I thought that was a fluke of nature. LOL

DavidJon Loc: Ada, Oklahoma

The line, “Now we know each salesman paid four dollars - 3 X $4.00 = $12.00” is incorrect. They paid $5.00 each - 3 X $5.00 = $15.00. The clerk has $10.00, the salesmen have $3.00 and the bellhop has $2.00. ($10.00 + $3.00 + $2.00 = $15.00)