- Joined
- May 26, 2004
- Messages
- 174
My mom told something which can only be described as a riddle.I've been trying to find a logical explanation but I just can't seem to get one.Maybe with all the smart people here I could get some help.Anyways here goes....
"Three men are traveling acroos the land,when they decide to stop and rest.They see a little hotel and decide to stay there.When they go inside they talk to the clerk,he tells them that he only has one room.This means that they are going to have to sleep in the same room.They agree to it,so the clerk tells them it's going to be 30 dollars.Each one of them gives him 10 dollars.After they go to their room the clerk begins to feel bad because he charged them to much for a room that sucks.So the clerk calls the bagboy over and tells him to take 5 dollars to the three men that just came in.As he walks towards their room,the bagboy thinks to himself that they already paid 30 dollars,so he might as well take a bit of the money.He takes 2 dollars.When he arrives he gives them each a dollar.They think that it's great because now they only paid 9 dollars each instead of ten."
So after the bagboy gave them 3 dollars back, each paid 9 dollars.That's, 9x3=27,plus the two that the bagboy took 27+2=29.What happened to the other dollar?The math should come out to 30 dollars not 29.What this riddle is stating is that the order of the factors does change the result.That is something that I find impossible,which is why I'm trying to find a logical explanation.Any help?
"Three men are traveling acroos the land,when they decide to stop and rest.They see a little hotel and decide to stay there.When they go inside they talk to the clerk,he tells them that he only has one room.This means that they are going to have to sleep in the same room.They agree to it,so the clerk tells them it's going to be 30 dollars.Each one of them gives him 10 dollars.After they go to their room the clerk begins to feel bad because he charged them to much for a room that sucks.So the clerk calls the bagboy over and tells him to take 5 dollars to the three men that just came in.As he walks towards their room,the bagboy thinks to himself that they already paid 30 dollars,so he might as well take a bit of the money.He takes 2 dollars.When he arrives he gives them each a dollar.They think that it's great because now they only paid 9 dollars each instead of ten."
So after the bagboy gave them 3 dollars back, each paid 9 dollars.That's, 9x3=27,plus the two that the bagboy took 27+2=29.What happened to the other dollar?The math should come out to 30 dollars not 29.What this riddle is stating is that the order of the factors does change the result.That is something that I find impossible,which is why I'm trying to find a logical explanation.Any help?