30th Jan
2
Find the one dollar
Three friends went to a hotel.
The bill was $75
Each one contributed $25
The waiter took the bill to the
Cashier.
The cashier was happy & decided
To give them a discount of $5 & asked the waiter to return
them $5.
Now the waiter was confused.
How to distribute $5 among 3 persons?
He kept$2 in his pocket &
Gave one dollar to each one of the 3 persons.
So initially each one had contributed
$25. Now as they are given 1 rupee back, their contribution reduces
to $24.
They all contributed $24 –
That is 24×3=72 & 2 dollar are in the waiters pocket.
The total becomes 74.
But they Had paid $75.
Where is the remaining 1 dollar?????????
Jigar January 31, 2010
They actually paid for $73 in total.
The actual payment done by everyone is not $24 – it is in fact $24.33. So, the arithmatic becomes
$24.33 * 3 + $2 = $75.
There was never a dollar lost, it is just shared by all 3 people equally logically – provided the waiter kept $2.
It is rather a question that is confusing – not the answer
Omprakash Mundra February 8, 2010
Dear Sandeep,
All three friends contributed $75. Cashier has returned $5. So, actual contribution of each friend was $75-$5= $70/3=$23.33. Waiter has returned $1 to each friend i.e.each friend spend $23.33+$1=$24.33. Waiter has kept $2 means he has not returned $2/3=$.66 to each friend. The sum of each friend + waiter is $25. Only your way of presentation is creating confusion.