A word Problem

Question

You are a shopkeeper, a man comes in and steals $50 without your attention. The man then comes back and buys $40 worth of merchandise, and gets $10 in change. How much did you lose?

Answer 1

You lose $50.

 

Suppose the guy hadn't stolen the money, and paid for the merchandise with his own money.  You wouldn't be out anything.  The only difference is that the guy stolen the original $50.  What he does with it after doesn't matter at all -- whether he keeps it or spends it in your store, or spends it somewhere else.  So that's the only thing you lose, the $50 he stole.