Expert: Steve Holleran - 8/30/2008

Question
There 3 man they decided to buy an item for $30.00 and each man contributed $10.00 .After the seller decided to give them back there $5.00 change and he sends his son with the ammount and the little boy decided to steal $2.00 and give each man $1.00 ,meaning that each man had contriduted $9.00 but using simple mathematics the total amount would be ($9.00*3men)+($2.00 stolen by the boy) .For sure the solution would be $29.00 ,so where is the other dollar

Answer
Hi Michael,

This is a very old riddle that keeps popping up all the time.

It's not a math problem, but really a lesson in semantics.  If they paid $30, and the seller gives back $25, but the boy keeps $2, that's $27, and the dollar each he gives them makes the $30.

Steve