An old puzzle…
After ten days of hunting for crooked poker games, dodgy lotteries and scamming taxi drivers, I’ve just checked into a fancy hotel in Malaysia where they bang a gong every time a guest arrives.
Here is an old hotel puzzle to keep with the theme.
Three men check into a hotel. Nothing dodgy, they all get their own rooms.
The cost is $100 per night per room. The men pay up and go up to their rooms.
However, the concierge realises that he forgot that there is a bulk booking discount of $50 when three rooms are booked at once.
He sends up the bellboy to the three men with $50 change in $10 notes.
However, since the men can’t split the money evenly, they take $10 each and give $20 to the bellboy as a tip.
If each man paid $90 each ($100 minus the $10 refund) that equals $270. Add the $20 tip and it equals $290.
Who swindled the remaining $10?
(My favourite bell boy is Daniel Oldaker)
One Comment to
Their -$270 balance includes the -$20 tip. If you wish to itemise their account it comes to -$83.33ish each (=$250 rooms) + -$6.66ish each (=$20 tip). You don’t “add the $20 tip” you should deduct it if you want to get to their expected $250 hotel room cost.
Enjoying your site.