| John S Stuart 13.06.2008 18:41 |
I cannot solve this problem. Can anyone here? (PS: It is the same problem regardless of currency!) 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 COIN 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 MISSING POUND? |
| beautifulsoup 13.06.2008 19:10 |
Well, it's all in the telling, I think. (?) It should be told in subtractions. So I think the "*add* 2 GBP" (in the original riddle) is the kicker. It should be thought of in terms of subtraction instead. Each guy paid 9 GBP, which was a subtraction of 3 down from the original 10 GBP each one originally paid. And if that's the case, the riddle should be stated, *subtract the 2 GBP,* taking the total down to 25, which is the new, corrected rate for the room. But you're right; the way that riddle is written out, it comes out sounding all bass-ackwards! I have no idea if what I just said makes sense, or if it even helped! :D |
| Donna13 13.06.2008 19:53 |
Right. Adding the 2 pounds that the bell boy kept is just there to confuse. It is all a matter of keeping receiving and paying separate (like we learned in accounting class - it's all about the columns and having the totals be the same at the bottom, if I remember correctly). So, the three men received three pounds and the bellboy received two pounds and the hotel received 25 pounds. That comes out to 30 pounds (which equals the amount originally paid). Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30. |
| beautifulsoup 13.06.2008 21:35 |
And your reply was much clearer than mine! :D |
| John S Stuart 14.06.2008 05:38 |
Donna13 wrote: Right. Adding the 2 pounds that the bell boy kept is just there to confuse. It is all a matter of keeping receiving and paying separate (like we learned in accounting class - it's all about the columns and having the totals be the same at the bottom, if I remember correctly). So, the three men received three pounds and the bellboy received two pounds and the hotel received 25 pounds. That comes out to 30 pounds (which equals the amount originally paid). Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30.Excellent answer. But if each of the three men receive a rebate of £1.00 each, that discounts their bill from £10.00 - to - £9.00. So the three men still end up paying £9.00 each which is £27.00 between them - instead of £30.00 between them. So why does the Bell-boy not receive an additional £1.00 tip? |
| Bohardy 14.06.2008 07:28 |
John S Stuart wrote:John, don't forget that the the guys OVERPAID for the room.Donna13 wrote: Right. Adding the 2 pounds that the bell boy kept is just there to confuse. It is all a matter of keeping receiving and paying separate (like we learned in accounting class - it's all about the columns and having the totals be the same at the bottom, if I remember correctly). So, the three men received three pounds and the bellboy received two pounds and the hotel received 25 pounds. That comes out to 30 pounds (which equals the amount originally paid). Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30.Excellent answer. But if each of the three men receive a rebate of £1.00 each, that discounts their bill from £10.00 - to - £9.00. So the three men still end up paying £9.00 each which is £27.00 between them - instead of £30.00 between them. So why does the Bell-boy not receive an additional £1.00 tip? Forget the £30 figure. That becomes irrelevant. The room was £25, they paid £27 for it, and the bell-boy pocketed the £2 overpayment. There's no extra money floating around to give him that additional £1 tip. Simple. |
| David Jones 14.06.2008 08:16 |
Donna13 wrote: Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30.Yep, double entry (ho ho!). For every debit in a "T account" there is a corresponding credit somewhere else - basic accountancy. Rick Wakeman told this a while ago, can't remember if it was on the radio or Countdown or something, the wording is really confusing but it really is quite simple! |
| Donna13 14.06.2008 09:03 |
Bohardy wrote:Yes! This is the best answer. Ha. It is confusing when the $30 is treated as important initially. It messes up the reasoning in people's minds. I think you would have to have a very logical mind to figure this out right away. I guess that is why accounting was invented, to make it easier for us less logical types and maybe to avoid people being scammed. I can just imagine the bell boy running up to the three men: "Hey, you owe me a dollar!" (I mean "pound" - ha.)John S Stuart wrote:John, don't forget that the the guys OVERPAID for the room. Forget the £30 figure. That becomes irrelevant. The room was £25, they paid £27 for it, and the bell-boy pocketed the £2 overpayment. There's no extra money floating around to give him that additional £1 tip. Simple.Donna13 wrote: Right. Adding the 2 pounds that the bell boy kept is just there to confuse. It is all a matter of keeping receiving and paying separate (like we learned in accounting class - it's all about the columns and having the totals be the same at the bottom, if I remember correctly). So, the three men received three pounds and the bellboy received two pounds and the hotel received 25 pounds. That comes out to 30 pounds (which equals the amount originally paid). Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30.Excellent answer. But if each of the three men receive a rebate of £1.00 each, that discounts their bill from £10.00 - to - £9.00. So the three men still end up paying £9.00 each which is £27.00 between them - instead of £30.00 between them. So why does the Bell-boy not receive an additional £1.00 tip? |
| John S Stuart 14.06.2008 11:59 |
Bohardy wrote:You say :John S Stuart wrote:John, don't forget that the the guys OVERPAID for the room. Forget the £30 figure. That becomes irrelevant. The room was £25, they paid £27 for it, and the bell-boy pocketed the £2 overpayment. There's no extra money floating around to give him that additional £1 tip. Simple.Donna13 wrote: Right. Adding the 2 pounds that the bell boy kept is just there to confuse. It is all a matter of keeping receiving and paying separate (like we learned in accounting class - it's all about the columns and having the totals be the same at the bottom, if I remember correctly). So, the three men received three pounds and the bellboy received two pounds and the hotel received 25 pounds. That comes out to 30 pounds (which equals the amount originally paid). Debits and credits or something. I forget. Anyway, both columns would add to 30.Excellent answer. But if each of the three men receive a rebate of £1.00 each, that discounts their bill from £10.00 - to - £9.00. So the three men still end up paying £9.00 each which is £27.00 between them - instead of £30.00 between them. So why does the Bell-boy not receive an additional £1.00 tip? Room cost = £25. £9 paid by each man = £27. The EXTRA £2 was stolen by the Bell Boy. So we agree if each man paid £9 (3 x 9) = £27.00 The £2.00 stolen by the bell boy = £2.00 Total = £29.00. Therefore you agree with me! Where's the missing pound? |
| Donna13 14.06.2008 12:30 |
JSS: "You say : Room cost = £25. £9 paid by each man = £27. The EXTRA £2 was stolen by the Bell Boy. So we agree if each man paid £9 (3 x 9) = £27.00 The £2.00 stolen by the bell boy = £2.00 Total = £29.00. Therefore you agree with me! Where's the missing pound?" You want to subtract the 2 from 27 instead of adding the 2. Then you get the remainder, which is 25 (the amount owed to the hotel in the first place). You could do this with pennies (or any small object). Count out 30 pennies. Pretend the men are on the left, the hotel is on the right and the bellboy is in front of you. Start with 30 pennies on the men's side. 1. Transfer the 30 pennies to the right (hotel). 2. Transfer 5 pennies from the hotel to the bellboy. 3. Transfer 3 pennies from the bellboy to the men. All 30 pennies are still there. The bellboy has 2, the hotel has 25 and the men have 3. That equals 30. |