OK, here is the equation:

3 men go to a bar and order 3 drinks. The drinks total $25.

The bartender takes 3 of the dollar bills and gives them back to each of the customers, taking $2 as his tip.

OK, the men paid 10 each and received back 1 dollar, which means they each paid $9.00. 9 x 3 = $27. 27 + $2 tip = $29.

What happened to that extra dollar?

This is what I think the answer is. I say the answer is that the dollar is in the drinks! In otherwords, that missing dollar is in the original price of the drinks. You cannot evenly divide the $25 three ways. Well you could but It would equal $8.33 1/3 per drink. You can however divide it into 3 parts this way - $8 + $8 +$9. = $25.00

So when each of them paid 10, got a dollar back making each drink price $9.00, one had already paid $9.00 to begin with.

Does this sound right to you? This person who told me this problem said I would never figure it out. Initially I couldn't get the answer and I told him that I would figure it out in my dreams and later that night at 2:50 am I woke up saying Drinks, it's in the drinks. I dont' remember dreaming about that math problem but I did wake up saying that.

Someone please tell me I'm right This guy says he'll be my bitch if I get the answer

Each paid $10, meaning they paid in total $30.
30-25=5. that 5 was divided 3 to the men and 2 to the bartender (who might also be a man).

IAmNotSpats said:

Right. That is the most obvious answer, notspats However if you take the fact that each men was returned $1.00, that means they each paid $9.00 each. 9x3 = 27, 27 plus the 2 tip is 29. The original total is $30. Where is that dollar?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Question has been asked and answered my friend....

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

$30-25=5

5-2=3

3-3=0



what dollar are you missing??

The 3 ended up paying $27 total, including the $2 which went as a tip. The $2 should be subtracted, not added from the $27. The remaining $3 was split evenly among the 3 men.

Moonbeam said:

Look at it the other way:

Cost of drinks = $25
Plus tip - $2

Total cost of drinks = $27

Cost of drinks divided by 3 men = $27/3 = $9.

Each man paid $10, got $1 back. So each man is in for $9.

It balances.

Moonbeam said:

Absolutely correct!

It makes no sense to add $2 to the $27 since the $27 already includes the $2 tip... The initial $30... separated into 3 parts... the $2 tip... the $25 payment... and the $3 that the men keep... 2 + 25 + 3 = 30.
[Edited 4/16/07 14:19pm]

A good habit to get into, especially with math, is that if something isn't equaling out the way it should, try the equation another way, and another if that doesn't work either.

Moonbeam said:

Ok wait. All I want to know, am I right!?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I don't think so. They each paid 10, the bill was $25 + $2 tip and so they each got a dollar back in change.

NDRU said:

You know what? Please don't even tell me I did not get the answer correct I am so impressed that I even came up with an answer at all! Basically I was saying there is no missing dollar. If you are going to come up with a $29 figure, the dollar you are looking for is accounted for in the original price of the drinks!

.
[Edited 4/16/07 15:06pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Well in Israel, some restaurants added $1 to the bill since now they're required to hire a security guard. Maybe that's where it went

IAmNotSpats said:

IAmNotSpats said:

or shipping & handling?

you got the math wrong...the way it's worded messes you up.

it's 25 (for the drinks) + 3 (left over) + 2 (tip) = 30

The drinks were not 9 a piece, they were 25 + 2 = 27.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

But they didn't pay 9 per drink. The logic is messed up because it counts in multiplication and division to an addition and subtraction problem.

superspaceboy said:

You can take it as paying 9 per drink, if you remember that tip is included...

Each paid 8.33333.... + 0.66666 (tip) = 9.

But adding the $2 to the $27 doesn't make sense.

coolcat said:

yes, his mistake is coming up with a $29 total, which doesn't ever factor into this. It's $27 total, including the tip.

UHHHH E = MC Squared....I bet that is the answer

Moonbeam said:

Moonbeam has it right. There is no missing dollar -- there just appears to be one because of the $27 + $2 calculation, which is improper for solving the problem at hand. It's a misdirection.

matt said:

But I knew there was no missing dollar and isn't my answer just another way of explaining his explanation!? I have to know I'm right!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I don't think so. Maybe Moonbeam will disagree -- I'm not a math expert -- but it seems to me that the "missing dollar" can't be attributed to the drinks or anything else. If the missing dollar is "in" anything, it's the $27 + $2 step (which doesn't reflect reality) in the incorrect solution.

I hate math!
[Edited 4/24/07 20:54pm]

matt said:

But knowing that one person already paid an extra dollar that the other 2 did not explains that if you wanna call a dollar missing that there really isn't one becuase it's already in the price of the drinks!

hope Supa will get his bitch