Paradox question - GoFuckYourself.com

whee · 03-23-2004, 03:09 PM

Three people check into a hotel. They pay £30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is £25 and gives £5 to the bellboy to return to the people. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that £5 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets £2 and gives £1 to each person. Now each person paid £10 and got back £1. So they paid £9 each, totalling £27. The bellboy has £2, totalling £29. Where is the missing £1?

NetRodent · 03-23-2004, 03:12 PM

Its not a paradox. Its bad math.

jpwhits · 03-23-2004, 03:15 PM

you have taken the £1 away from the customers but added the £2 from the bellboy. so it is a trick question as you should either add the £3 from the customers and the bellboy's £2 totalling £30 or you take away the whole £5 equalling £25 which is the room price

whee · 03-23-2004, 03:54 PM

Bcareful what you are adding together.
Originally, they paid £30, they each received back £1, thus they now have only paid £27.
Of this £27, £25 went to the manager for the room and £2 went to the bellboy.

03-23-2004, 03:09 PM	#1
whee Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: http://www.nightstation.com Posts: 1,375	Paradox question Three people check into a hotel. They pay £30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is £25 and gives £5 to the bellboy to return to the people. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that £5 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets £2 and gives £1 to each person. Now each person paid £10 and got back £1. So they paid £9 each, totalling £27. The bellboy has £2, totalling £29. Where is the missing £1? __________________ http://www.nightstation.com

03-23-2004, 03:12 PM	#2
NetRodent Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: In the walls of your house. Posts: 3,985	Its not a paradox. Its bad math. __________________ "Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." --H.L. Mencken

03-23-2004, 03:54 PM	#4
whee Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: http://www.nightstation.com Posts: 1,375	Bcareful what you are adding together. Originally, they paid £30, they each received back £1, thus they now have only paid £27. Of this £27, £25 went to the manager for the room and £2 went to the bellboy. __________________ http://www.nightstation.com

03-23-2004, 03:15 PM	#3
jpwhits Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,045	you have taken the £1 away from the customers but added the £2 from the bellboy. so it is a trick question as you should either add the £3 from the customers and the bellboy's £2 totalling £30 or you take away the whole £5 equalling £25 which is the room price