# Math Help - Need help to understand this

1. ## Need help to understand this

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 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 OTHER DOLLAR? 2. Follow the original$30. At the end of the story, where is it?
$25 of it is still in the hotel's cash register.$2 is in the bellboy's hand.
$3 are with the three men. That makes$30.
The intent of the problem is to confuse you by coming up with a sum that is close to the original $30. The end of the problem as written adds up the$27 the men paid and the $2 the bellboy has, which is PART OF the$27 the men paid. It's double-counting the $2 which, conveniently makes the total$29, a number close enough to \$30 to make you think something is up.