# Can you solve this math puzzle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 8, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074 "2004-07-08T04:24:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sharky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Sharky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sharky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/1 "2004-07-08T04:24:36Z")
Three people check into a hotel, and the desk clerk charges them $10 each for the room, for a total of $30. Later, the desk clerk realizes that he overcharged them, the room rate should have been $25. Feeling guilty, he decides to send the bellhop to the room to give the travelers their $5 change. On the way up to the room, the bellhop can’t figure out how to split the $5 three ways, so he gives them $1 each and keeps $2 for himself. That makes the total paid by each traveler $9, or $27 for the room. The bellhop kept $2. 27+2=29 Where did the other dollar go? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/2 "2004-07-08T04:30:54Z")
> **[math problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=32757)** > > This might have been posted before, and I usually don’t ask questions like this, but I got it by email and it’s really bothering me. So here goes: Three guys in a hotel call room service and order two large pizzas. The delivery boy brings them up... ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/3 "2004-07-08T04:35:02Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910621.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910621.html) ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/4 "2004-07-08T04:38:19Z")
Fie on you, **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker**. At least my answer came from a higher source. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sharky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Sharky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sharky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/5 "2004-07-08T04:46:40Z")
Well, I guess I should have searched before I posted. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/6 "2004-07-08T08:19:49Z")
Yes that math “problem” has even reached Urban Legend status [http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/dollar.htm](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/dollar.htm) Welcome to the SDMB Sharky. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-math-puzzle/254074/7 "2004-07-08T13:53:53Z")
**Can you solve this math puzzle?** Yes.