FUZZY MATH
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MATH PUZZLES
THREE MEN RENT A ROOM FOR A MEETING IN A CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE MORNING.
THE DESK CLERK TELLS THEM THE ROOM WILL BE $30.00.
THEY EACH GIVE HIM A $10.00 BILL.
AFTER THEY GO TO THE ROOM THE MANAGER FINDS OUT HE OVERCHARGED THEM AND THAT THE ROOM IS REALLY ONLY $25.00.
THE MANAGER GIVES THE BELLBOY $5.00 TO GIVE TO THE MEN AS A REFUND.
WHEN HE GETS TO THE ROOM THE MEN DECIDE THEY CAN’T DIVIDE $5.00 EQUALLY SO THEY GIVE THE BELLBOY $2.00 AND EACH OF THEM KEEPS $1.00.
SINCE THEY EACH ORIGINALLY PAID $10.00 AND NOW HAVE $1.00 BACK THE ROOM REALLY ONLY COST THEM $9.00 EACH.
LETS SEE. $9.00 X 3 EQUALS $27.00 WHICH IS WHAT THE NET COST OF THE ROOM IS TO THE MEN.
THEY GAVE THE BELLBOY $2.00.
$27.00 PLUS $2.00 EQUALS $29.00. SINCE THEY ORIGINALLY PAID $30.00 FOR THE ROOM, WHERE DID THE OTHER $1.00 GO?
JUST FOR FUN………. BOB
4-4-2010 POSTSCRIPT: I have received quite a bit of feedback both verbal and by email about this “puzzle”. I really just posted it for fun but it does serve a purpose to demonstrate how our government does math. For example, they will create a program or entitlement with an anual escalator clause to increase funding by 10% a year and when there is a an outcry against deficit spending they will “cut” the increase to “only” 5% over the previous year and then proudly announce they have cut spending. Or, they will come up with “fuzzy” numbers of projected costs and “expected” savings, such as in the new Health Care program, that neither we nor they can ever figure out exactly what it is going to cost. As my Dad used to say to me: “Figures Lie and Liars Figure!” …………Bob
