Where'd the other dollar go?

Question

If I own a hotel and 3 men come to stay I charge them each 10.00. Later on I decide 30 is too much so I send my worker up to give 5.00 back she decides she can't split 5.00 between 3 men so she puts 2 in her pocket and gives each man 1.00 back

9x3=27 plus the 2$ she put in her pocket equals 29. Where is the other $1.00??

Answer 1

The question is written from the perspective of the Hotel Owner (you):

     Charged $30, gave back $5.   That means you got payment of $25.

 

From the perspective of the men:

    Paid $10 each (total $30), got back $1 each.  New total paid is $27.  So, this is $25 to you and $2 to the worker.

 

From the perspective of the worker:

    Got $2  [you've heard of a tip, right?]

 

 Note: 9*3=27 minus $2 is $25 to you.

Answer 2

If the worker kept $2, then the three men essentially paid $28 for the rooms, not $27. The worker initially has $5 of the $30 in her possession. She keeps $2, and divides the remaining $3 evenly amongst the three men. There is no missing dollar.

Answer 3

You charged 3x10 = 30

You send the worker to give back 5

You now have 30-5 = 25

The men got back 3x1 = 3, and the worker kept 2, which add up to 5 

You are still left with 30-5 = 25, so it balances