Registered: Aug 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 3598

For the math whizes

a riddle...

Three people go out to a restaurant for a meal. Once finished, the waiter brings them the bill, which comes to 30 dollars. They each pay 10 dollars, and the waiter takes the money to the till, where he realises that he's charged for something twice - the bill should actually have been 25 dollars. "How will they split 5 dollars between three?" thinks the waiter, "if I pocket 2 dollars and give them 3 dollars back, everyone will be happy." So the waiter puts 2 dollars in his pocket and returns 3 dollars to the table, where the three people take back one dollar each.

Each person paid 10 dollars, less the dollar they got back, which makes 9 dollars each. Three people at 9 dollars makes 27 dollars, plus the two that the waiter put in his pocket, makes 29 dollars.

Where's the missing dollar?

Mind you, this took me a few minutes of hair-pulling to finally understand what was going on. I want to know how the rest of you do with it, since it's no secret that math is my worst enemy. Have fun!

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

I don't understand the riddle.

They payed $30. The waiter realized it was only $25 so if you split the $25 between the three they have each payed $8.33...... 8.33 * 3 is $25. They each get a dollar back so 25 +3 is $28 plus the $2 the waiter kept which makes $30.

grinder

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Registered: Jun 2001
Location: Conn.
Posts: 326

the one dollar went either to the mcdonalds dollar menu, or the new tax plan..

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Ass, grass, and gas, no free rides.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: A New England
Posts: 9187

Lynch the smart fuck.

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[This message has been edited by Goatboy (edited 06-13-2001).]

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Elysian Fields, TX, USA
Posts: 2618

-head explodes-

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Do me.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: library
Posts: 19584

I swear that stupid thing shows up every couple of months or so.

-m


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Obscurum per obscurius, ignotum per ignotius

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 3598

quote:

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Originally posted by Mordecai:
I swear that stupid thing shows up every couple of months or so.

-m

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yes, and each time it does, i forget the answer
i'm just more stupid than usual when it comes to numbers.


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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: HERE!!! SEND ME MONEY!!!
Posts: 75

the 3 guests paid a total of 28 dollars...

each paid 10
minus 5 = 25
plus 3 =28
divided by 3 = 9.33 or something
they didn't each pay 9 because the waiter took two so you have to devide....whatever...

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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Johnson City TN
Posts: 91

Ok, each person gives $10, not $9, following the order of opperations, You cant add before you multiply. If you do, you are a dollar short.

ex: 10x3-3-2=25which is the correct formula.

10-1x3+2=29 which is wrong.

There you have it. simple math.

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There in yon light, bathed in the dragons blood, It is Siegfried, your new king.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 3598

quote:

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Originally posted by mole_man:
following the order of opperations, You cant add before you multiply.

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Holy shit, that's right. There is no surprise that i very nearly failed every math course in highschool. i forgot about the simple shit and expected myself to be able to learn the complicated stuff.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

It doesn't necessarily really have anything to do with order of operations. The entire riddle makes no sense at all.

The riddle says:

quote:

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Each person paid 10 dollars, less the dollar they got back, which makes 9 dollars each. Three people at 9 dollars makes 27 dollars, plus the two that the waiter put in his pocket, makes 29 dollars.

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