This probably is very simple to solve, but it's stumped my puny Maths ability:

Three guys check into one room in a hotel (don't ask!) and are charged £30 pounds for the room. They pay £10 each.

However, the manager comes along and sees the receptioist booking the room and says they have been charged £5 too much. The manager gives he receptionist 5 £1 coins and tell him to take it to the guys in the room. As the receptionist is walking to the room he realises he can't split the £5 in coins 3 ways so he pockets £2 and gives the guys back £1 each.

This means each guy has paid £9 each for the room which totals £27 pounds. The receptionist pockets £2 which brings the total to £29. Where did the other pound go?

I'm sure it's mind numbingly easy - and I've heard this one before - but I can't work it out. Please put me out of my misery...

Its a play on words but a good one as it gets you if you follow their logic.

Essentially they do pay £27 for the room because they get £3 back but they also lose the £2 to the receptionists wallet so £27 - £2 = £25 which is what the room cost but not what they paid.

Thats probably confused you even more but the main point is to understand the taking away of the £2 from the £27 rather than adding it on.

Simon.

Thanks P1Fanatic,

I can now wow the guys at work with the way it only took me 24 hours to work it out :D

Dont worry mate - most people including myself get stumped on that one.

Or !
You are assuming the cost of the room is £30, but it has been reduced to
£25. Therefore they should have only paid £25 in total, but they paid £28,
cos the bellboy nicked £2.

Or the other way to look at it is they each had £10 spent £9 and had £1
left. Total £30

The story simply tries to confuse with who took what. £25 room, £3 chnage,
£2 bellboy. Total £30

The summary misses out the £3 change and replaces it with the £2 'tip'. Play on figures.

Rgds

Paul

other way to look at it is the kid saying he has 11 fingers. Count them from one to 10 and its ten, count them down from 10 to 6 and add on the five from the other hand = 11
Same principle
Alas

Not quite sure I follow that logic Alas :p

A man has 6 beers...

Doesn't care how much he paid for the room then ;)