Welcome to Gamerstactics new series Daily Brain Teasers , where we bring you fun and challenges every day with our “Daily Brain Teasers.” This would be perfect if you’re trying to sharpen your mind, Take a break from your busy routine, or just enjoy a mental break. Our daily nods are designed to stimulate your cognitive skills and keep you entertained. Every day, we’ll bring you a new block breaker that tests logic, creativity and problem-solving abilities. challenge your brain and see how quickly you can solve today’s teaser. Let’s get those neurons firing!
December 26
The Missing Dollar
Three friends check into a hotel room that costs $30. They each contribute $10, handing $30 to the hotel clerk. Later, the hotel clerk realizes there was a mistake and the room only cost $25. The clerk gives $5 to the bellboy and asks him to return it to the three friends.
The bellboy, however, can’t figure out how to split $5 evenly between three people, so he keeps $2 for himself and gives $1 back to each friend. Now, each friend has paid $9 (for a total of $27), and the bellboy has $2. That adds up to $29. What happened to the missing dollar?
Q. What happened to the missing dollar?
Solution:
This brain teaser relies on a misdirection in how the problem is framed. There is no missing dollar.
Let’s break it down:
- The three friends paid a total of $30.
- The hotel clerk kept $25 for the room, and the bellboy took $2, which leaves $3 that was returned to the friends ($1 each).
The confusion arises because the $27 (paid by the friends) is wrongly added to the $2 the bellboy kept. Instead, you should subtract the $2 from the $27, leaving $25, which is the actual price of the room.
Therefore, there is no missing dollar. It’s simply a misunderstanding in how the amounts are being added up.
