Timewasters Anonymous: Scienta Est Potentia VI

mercoledì, settembre 20, 2006

Scienta Est Potentia VI

I remembered being given this problem to work out when I was 16, by a good friend of mine. She refused to give me the answer, not even till this day (and a part of me suspects that she didn't know the answer either hehehe). Fastforward to last night, as I tried to sleep, I tried having a go at it one more time; and this time, the solution hit me like an oncoming train. After six years of being in the dark, it finally felt good to put this problem behind me once and for all.

Now, I throw it back to you, dear reader. Can you find the solution to this problem? Will you take six years like I did to solve it? Probably not, because I'll give you the solution soon.

Soon.

The Dollar Dilemma

Three men went to spend a night in a hotel. Because they were on budget, they agreed to split the cost for the room. The room was $30 for the night, so each of them forked out $10, grabbed their key and headed for their room.

After they left, the receptionist realized that he the room only cost $25, not $30. So he sent the bellhop to return the surplus $5 to the men. On his way there, the bellhop thought to himself, "I can't possibly split $5 amongst 3, so I'll keep $2 for myself, and then return them $1 each."

So he did just that, and each of the three men had $1 returned to them. Here's where the problem arises. Technically each of the men paid $9. So $9 x 3 = $27, and add this to the $2 that the bellhop siphoned, and you get $29.

So what happened to the last $1?

Think about it...

Ye who seek for audience, let ye speak now!

And so it came to past that at 20 settembre, 2006 23:53, in the presence of The Eddie G., Nathaniel Soo had spoken the following...: It was in the hotel jacuzzi...
And so it came to past that at 21 settembre, 2006 00:01, in the presence of The Eddie G., Anonimo had spoken the following...: The math is wrong. You shouldn't add the $2 to the $27 as it's a cost item. Minus $2 from $27 and you get $25, which is the cost of the rooms. The change of $1 per person or $3 in total, plus the $2 the bellhop took, will add up to $5. This added to the cost of the room ($25) makes it $30.
And so it came to past that at 24 settembre, 2006 11:07, in the presence of The Eddie G., Leanne had spoken the following...: haha

thinking.. thinking.. nadda. the solution's not arriving.

i'll wait for your "soon" :P
And so it came to past that at 25 settembre, 2006 22:48, in the presence of The Eddie G., Jo Jo Bumps had spoken the following...: leanne ... knowing how soon , the soon will be ...

its not coming so soon right ?

hehehe
And so it came to past that at 05 ottobre, 2006 15:15, in the presence of The Eddie G., Eddie G. had spoken the following...: The Great Spankmaster is correct.

Solution:

The reason for this discrepancy is because the wrong syntices were used. In order to get the amount of money which started out ($30), you have to add the cost of the product/service paid to the change given. The three gentlemen technically paid $9 each, and this is correct. Therefore, add $27 (3 x $9) to three (3 x $1) and you're back with $30 (3 x $10).

Then what about $2 that the bellhop siphoned? Shouldn't it be counted too? This is where you have been deceived. The bellhop's $2 had already been accounted for - it is part of the COST of the hotel room in which the gentlemen had paid (i.e. $25 for the room + the $2 siphoned). Therefore, to add $27 (the total cost of the room) to $2 (part of the total cost) is illogical. That's why $1 went "missing"