OK, so this is an oldie, but may not be one that younger folks remember….
It was a dark and stormy night. The roads were becoming impassable. Hotels were filling up as people pulled off the roads. As it happened three traveling salesmen were forced to stop at the same hotel. But the hotel only had one room. Trying to be hospitable, the hotel manager offered to allow all three men to stay in the one room.
The room cost was $25. Two of the men decided to go to the bar, each giving the third man a $10 bill for their share, and asking for change when the room was paid for. The third man also pulled a $10 bill from his wallet. Paying the desk, the man received a $5 in change. As he went to the room, the bellboy carried the other two salesmen’s bags. Being something of a tightwad, he gave the bellboy the $5 and asked for $3 in change so he could split the change equally between the three men. Heading down to the bar, he kept $1 and gave the other men $1 each.
So, the three men originally donated $30 to the room charge. Now, after receiving change, each man has spent $9 for the room for a total of $27, and the bellboy has a $2 tip for a total of $29.
Where’d the $1 go?
-sdg
16 users commented in " Where’d the $1 go? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback27 dollars includes the tip.
Of course $27 includes the tip, and each have $1, so it all adds up.
But, it’s still a great puzzle. It is all in the way the story is worded, and how the events play out in the mind of the reader.
I haven’t thought about that one in ages, Cosmic.
Yeah, I think I sort of boogered it up in the description…. The trick is to get someone to think that you are trying to get from $27 to $30, when actually it’s from $27 to $25. I’ve actually had arguments over this puzzle when people are fooled sufficiently.
A bit of a parallel I heard on Rosen yesterday: A Texan went to a bank (lets say near DFW) and asked for a $5000.00 loan against his 2009 Lamborghini. The loan was made and the car driven to the bank basement to hold as collateral. Two weeks later he shows and pays the loan back with interest which amounted to approximately $26.00. The bank did some background checks while he was gone and found him to be exceptionally wealthy with many $$$ millions net worth. Upon retrieving the car the banker asked why with all his wealth did he need a $5000.00 loan ? His reply was it was far cheaper to pay the interest than pay $24.00 a day to park in the airport. So it goes at times.
Supposedly NOT a urban “short story”.
Heh… sure seems like an urban legend to me… But you never know… Pretty sure the background checks would have been done as part of the credit check. It’s unlikely a bank would not know immediately the identity of a local multi-millionaire (I used to work at a bank, believe me there weren’t many rich people we didn’t know of). Plus the time and effort involved in processing a loan would probably not be worth the time investment of such a rich person. Dropping a car off in a parking garage takes no time at all. To spend even two hours to save a couple hundred dollars probably would not be a wise investment of time vs. money for a multi-millionaire.
Cosmic – this is Texas, buddy. The guy could have been from El Paso – or Colorado (Texans refer to Colorado as West Texas BTW). There are a lot of very wealthy folks there. If you were a banker and you had a $250,000.00 car to guarantee a short term note( $5,000.00) – take it and run…….Finance 101. I have heard many more tales there that make this one seem very plausible. Ask me sometime about Amon Carter – used to eat a sack lunch when attending a hated BOD meeting(s) in Dallas – or how Hunt cornered the silver market…..or…..thousands of tales about billions gained and billions spent overnight.
Heh! Speaking of rich folks in Texas…I worked in my Dad’s appliance store here in NW Louisiana as a teenager. One Saturday afternoon an old raggedly-looking guy in overalls walked into the store and picked out the most expensive console television, and microwave oven we had. (about $1500 for both)
He pulled out his checkbook from his top pocket, started writing, and asked us to load it all up in his truck out in the parking lot.
Now, my Daddy was a trusting soul, but this old man had never been in the store, so Daddy was suspicious. His check was from a bank in Lufkin (I think…somewhere in East Texas for sure).
So, Daddy was trying to be nice, but questioned the old guy as to whether his check would be good. The old man told him to call the bank…wouldn’t hurt his feelings at all.
Well, it was Saturday, and Daddy figured nobody would be there, but he called anyway. An old black man answered. We found out later that he was the janitor, and just happened to be there when the phone rang, and thought that he ought to answer it.
So, Daddy asks, “Do you know Mr. Borger?”
“Oh yes sir! I know Mr. Borger.”
“Well, I’m wondering if anybody there can confirm payment on a check that Mr. Borger has given me.”
“Wellsir…nobody’s here that can do that, but if Mr. Borger is giving you a check, I knows it’ll be good.”
“You sure?”
“Yes sir!”
“What does Mr. Borger do?”
“Mr. Borger don’t do nothing! HE DONE DONE IT!”
That story, of course, has nothing to do with the missing dollar mystery. Cosmic, you didn’t booger up the description at all. The first time I heard it was where 3 guys had ordered a pizza, and an honest delivery guy brought the overpayment back.
It’s all in whether the listener is thinking from front to back, or from back to front. Almost ALL people will try to add the figures…but you have to subtract from the total, and work backwards.
You know…I just realized that this comment made absolutely no sense at all…either forwards, or backwards.
You’re welcome…
Not to worry Andy, I read it sideways and it made perfect sense.
Nyuk!
BUT – where did the $1.. go……the clue is that Each did not spend $9.00 for his share of the room. Comm’on Cosmic – this is so simple it would have never appeared in my alumni issue of TR. I have not heard of this ditty but that is possibly because I am a bit under exposed.
Delta:
What is “TR?”.
I wasn’t trying to suggest this was the world’s most difficult number puzzle. It was just something that I was reminded of by one of Andy’s posts. Plus I wasn’t feeling very inspired and felt I was shirking my blog responsibilities a bit and wanted to put something up.
Cosmic – filling column is the burden of all editors – you are forgiven. To assist here is a little ditty with more than one answer:
Nadal is playing a set of tennis. In the last eight points of the set, his opponent has served seven aces and he has served one ace. What is his score ??
BTW you are applauded for taking the blog on – I have done a few and it is taxing if done well as you know.
Yeah, but what is “TR?”
What was the score before the last 8 points were played?
Andy…..now, now lets focus on the problem……..
I’m not a big tennis fan, but just to clarify, since you said “last eight points of the set” I’m assuming that the set is over. If that’s not what “last eight points” means, then I don’t think I can work it out.
Oh, I get it. I read “What is HIS score” as “What is THE score.” Duh!
What is “TR?”
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