Three friends check into a hotel room that costs $30. They each chip in $10. Later, the manager realizes he overcharged them and gives the bellhop $5 to return to the guests. The dishonest bellhop pockets $2 for himself and gives $1 back to each of the three friends. Now, each friend has paid $9 (totaling $27), and the bellhop has $2. Where is the missing dollar?
There is no missing dollar; it is a math illusion caused by adding the bellhop's tip to the amount paid instead of subtracting it.
The guests paid $27 total. Of that $27, the hotel kept $25, and the bellhop kept $2. Adding the $2 the bellhop kept to the $27 paid makes no logical sense; you should add the $2 to the $25 the hotel kept to equal the $27 collected.
About this riddle
Logic riddles give you a few facts and ask what must be true. List what you know, cross out what cannot be, and see what is left.
Difficulty: Medium. More like this: Logic riddles with answers or try Einstein's Logic Grid for a different kind of puzzle.
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