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Three guys rent a room for $30
They walk to their room
The Hotel manager realized a mistake was made
Informs the bell hop to return $5 to the three guys
While walking to the room, the bell hop, thinks, how will they split $5
I'll keep $2, they will never know
Gives them the $3
This means, each guys paid $9 each times 3 equal $27
Plus the $2 the bell hop kept..9 x 3 + 2 = 29
Where is the other dollar ?
The bell hop didn't pay two dollars, he took two dollars, so 9 x 3 - 2 = 25, which is how much was paid for the room.
I agree with passel. The guys each have $-9 at the end, the bellhop has $2, and the manager has $25. -9*3 = 27 = 2+25, which makes perfect sense. The "$1 discrepancy" is just coming from confusing + and - together with the fact that 3 = -(-2)+1.
There is no extra dollar.
There were 30 dollars paid originally, 10 from each guy. The clerk refunds 5. The busboy keeps 2 dollars, and refunds 1 dollar to each guy.
25 dollars (the cost of the room), plus 2 dollar the bus kept, plus 3 dollarsd (one each) for the guys, equals 30 dollars - which is what they had started with.
25 + 2 + 1+1+1+= 30.
If you're trying to add up the money each guy spent - after the refund - $9+$9+$9 = $27. $25 of that went to the clerk for the room, and he busboy pocketed $2 = the $27 they spent.
Enjoy the story, happy days to all
There is no missing dollar.
At the end of the day, each man has $1 in his pocket for a total of $3, the bellhop has $2, and the hotel has $25
25 + 2 + 3 = 30. All square.