What happened to the missing dollar?

[Hornblower]

This one probably is as old as the hills, but here goes.

Three men traveling together on a business trip checked into a hotel, and the manager checked them into a room for a group rate of $30. Each guest chipped in $10 in cash to pay up.

After the men went to their room, the manager realized that he should have charged them only $25, so he handed $5 to a bellhop and told him to take it to the room and give the men their refund. The bellhop pocketed $2 and gave each guest a dollar.

The net result was that each guest had paid a net amount of $9, and the crooked bellhop had $2.

9+9+9+2 = 29

What happened to the 30th dollar?

[tony873004]

You're adding what each guy paid to what the belhop took. That doesn't seem right. From the original 30, the hotel gets 25, the belhop gets 2, and each of the patrons get 1.

25+2+1+1+1=30

[mike alexander]

Was one of the guys named Larry Craig?

[Dennis Dorgan]

since the actual bill was.... 25... and not 30.

each of the three persons actually paid 8.33333333333


so they did not pay 9...

they paid 8.3333 dollars.

the bell boy has it.

because they should of gotten back 1 dollar and 66 cents.

[Chuck]

All right, all right! I'll pay it back tomorrow!

[cjl]

since the actual bill was.... 25... and not 30.

each of the three persons actually paid 8.33333333333


so they did not pay 9...

they paid 8.3333 dollars.

the bell boy has it.

because they should of gotten back 1 dollar and 66 cents.

No, each person did pay 9. Each initially paid 10, but got 1 back. The reason for them each paying 9 is that (in essence), they each paid the hotel $8.33, and they each paid the bellhop $0.66, even if they did not know about it.

As for the question? They each paid 9. This includes the $2 that the bellhop took. The amount that is left unaccounted for is the $3 that they got back. 9+9+9+3 = 30.

[Dennis Dorgan]

The bell boy has it.

[Ronald Brak]

Whatever happened to it, Mugabe is basing his next budget upon it.

[sarongsong]

This one probably is as old as the hills...the manager checked them into a room for a group rate of $30...No doubt! :)

[Swift]

Would your really want to stay at a $30 a night hotel? And do those kinds of hotel's have bellhops? ;)

[Doodler]

Whatever happened to it, Mugabe is basing his next budget upon it.

Nah, he pocketed the extra dollar and printed ten more to make up for it.

[farmerjumperdon]

Ah, the old confusion-by-providing-additional-but-irrelevant-information ploy.

(Spoken in the voice of Maxwell Smart for proper humorous effect).

[The_Radiation_Specialist]

This way old. You need to try harder to confuse the members here.

[jfribrg]

Ah, the old confusion-by-providing-additional-but-irrelevant-information ploy.

Also known as the red herring falacy.

[Hornblower]

Would your really want to stay at a $30 a night hotel? And do those kinds of hotel's have bellhops? ;)
No way. At today's dollar value, it would be a fleabag at best.

[Hornblower]

This way old. You need to try harder to confuse the members here.
I am pleased to see that most of us are seeing the red herring for what it is, and not getting confused.

Your Orion avatar is a beauty. Keep up the good work.

[The_Radiation_Specialist]

That is one of the first constellations I remembered since I took an interest in astronomy.

Its great to know there are so many smart folks hanging around here. A lot to learn from them.

Keep posting some good teasers. ;)

[Doodler]

No way. At today's dollar value, it would be a fleabag at best.

Around here we call'em "No-tell motels" that rent by the hour. ;)

[Zachary]

dang that took me too long to work out!

grrrrrrr ><

[TriangleMan]

This one probably is as old as the hills
I remember it from a book of puzzles about 30 years ago, except the men were pirates and paid in gold pieces (now that's a pricey hotel) :)