# Can you figure this out?

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/can-you-figure-this-out/26497>\
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\
**Created:** [March 25, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/can-you-figure-this-out/26497 "2007-03-25T20:38:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 42

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**Author:** ![FiftyCheven](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fiftycheven/32/4950_2.png) [@FiftyCheven](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/FiftyCheven)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/can-you-figure-this-out/26497/42 "2007-03-26T08:10:05Z")

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The trick to this question is here…

> This meant, that the 3 men each paid $9 for the room, which is a total of $27. **Add** in the $2 that the bellboy kept = $29.

the word “add” is what throws people…you actually have to subract. the men paid $27…subract the $2 the bellboy has and you get $25 paid to the desk.

and here is a simple way of understanding…

"Let’s give each of the $30 a number from 1-30, keep track of each individual dollar, and see how the problem works.

Dollars numbered 1-30 are given to the manager. Then he wants to give $5 back, so he keeps the dollars numbered 1-25, and gives numbers 26-30 to the bellboy in the form of a five 1 dollar bills. numbers 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30. He gives numbers 26, 27 and 28 to the customers and keeps numbers 29 and 30 for himself."

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