What is the answer to this riddle?

[Bertha Venation]

Three people check into a hotel. They pay $30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager finds out that the room rate is $25 and gives the bellboy $5 to return to the guests. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that $5 would be difficult to split among three people so he pockets $2 and gives $1 to each person. Now each person paid $10 and got back $1. So they paid $9 each, totaling $27. The bellboy has another $2, adding up to $29.

Where is the remaining dollar?

[HopeHoops]

1. Simple - you reversed the math. It is a subtraction problem, not an addition problem.

The "two" is the $27 - $25 of what they actually paid.

Cute one though. I like it!

[Bertha Venation]

2. I can't brain today. I has the dumb.

I don't get it. :dunce:

[HopeHoops]

7. Think about how the final question is phrased.

It is a subtraction problem. You start with $30, refund $3 so you have $27. The bellhop kept $2 so you subtract another $2 and you have $25. The linguistic mindfuck is making you think you should ADD $2 to the $27 on your way back to $30 when what you are really doing is working your way back to $25.

[Brother Buzz]

3. $25 for the room

One dollar cash for each of the three boarders, and the Bellboy stole two.

:shrug:

[Bertha Venation]

5. That's it!

Thank you!

[KamaAina]

4. There is no possible answer.

I mean, come on, a hotel room for thirty bucks?! (let alone 25) :shrug:

[Brother Buzz]

6. You even been in Alturas, California?

When I stayed here my private room with bathroom down the hall cost eight whole dollars.

[hvn_nbr_2]

8. It's an old riddle...

from when Motel 6 was $6 a night for a single room nationwide.

[MajorChode]

10. It just goes to show hold old that one is

I heard it 20 years ago and I'm sure it goes back farther than that.

It must be a good one to last this long, though.

[Haole Girl]

9. Thank you for making my head explode

:crazy: