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A Math Puzzle

A twisting of numbers that defies easy explanation.

3 men order coffee at a café. The price is $1 each. So, they hand the waitress the $3 and she goes to get the coffee.

At the cash register the manager stops her and says “These 3 men are regulars. Give them 50 cents change.

But the waitress is dishonest and on the way back to the table she pockets 20 cents and gives the 3 men 10 cents each.

Therefore the men have each paid 90 cents for their coffee.

So, 3 coffees at 90 cents each = $2.70

20 cents in the waitress's pocket = $2.90

Where is the other 10 cents?

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Comments (13)
#1 by Odd Ball, Nov 4, 2007
its in the cash register.
#2 by greenblob, Nov 4, 2007
This is stupid.
There is $2.50 in the register (3-.5). The men payed $2.70 (.9*3). That means that there is $.20 that is unaccounted for, which is in the waitress's pocket.

It's 2.7-.2=2.5, not 2.7+.2=2.9.
#3 by Matt, Nov 4, 2007
total price = 300
discounted price = 250
discount = 50
discount/3 = 16.6666666666666
100-16.666666=83.333333
83.333333+10 =93.33333
93.33333*3=280
280+20 = 300
#4 by Joe, Nov 4, 2007
The coffees weren't originally $0.90 cents each. They were about $0.84 cents each. The total for the group should have been $2.50, but 20 cents got taken and they only got back $0.10.
#5 by Matt, Nov 4, 2007
Let me clarify a few things with my comment.

Since 50 does not divide evenly the total price they would have to pay is not even so:

They should have each only had to pay 83.333 cents.
She gave them each 10 cents so they payed 93.333 cents.
This leaves a 6.666 cents difference from each customer.
6.666 time 3 is equal to the remaining 20 cents.
#6 by Warren G, Nov 4, 2007
Its misleading.... and is explained far easier than using a repeating number sequence. Think of the the total Sales Price as $2.50 instead of $3.00. Then realize that the men paid $2.70 (30 cent refund). The missing 20 cents in this transaction is in the waitress' pocket. The question leads you to a wrong conclusion by adding when you should be subtracting (or vice versa, as your own logic may lead you).
#7 by David, Nov 4, 2007
it just doesnt state the facts right

dont even go with tax

3 dollars
each coffee was $1
but then they gave back 50 cents, supposedly

so they should've gotten that back, but since the waitress took 20 cents

they paid $2.70.

and thus, the company should've got 2.70, but since the waitress took 20 cents

the company only got 2.50

there is no extra 10 cents

the wording just throws you off

company recieved 2.50
waitress got .20
the clients got .30

all adss up to 3
#8 by dr.clown, Nov 5, 2007
always good to have a riddle for the kids
#9 by look here, Dec 20, 2007
the guys only paid 2.50
they got back .10 each=2.80
then the .20 waitress has 3.00
#10 by Geoff, Dec 20, 2007
The real riddle here is, what kind of cheap waitress needs to pocket $0.20?

Seriously, if you need $0.20 bad enough to steal it...

Although I'm sure that, throughout the day, all those little bits of change add up to enough to buy yourself a real fancy bouncy ball in one of those twist-the-knob machines.
#11 by brendan, Dec 20, 2007
this would be straightforward if the question didn't tell a lie, by insinuating that the $0.20 adds to the $2.70 to make $2.90. rather it should be taken away to make $2.50. basically the waitress stole from the employer rather than the men.
#12 by Daniel, Dec 20, 2007
Order of operations, people. PEMDAS
#13 by Trotter, Dec 20, 2007
Folks, it is a riddle intended to make one think about things in a less than obvious manner.

yes, the 10 cents didn't vanish. Yes, everyone's responses are correct. But that's not the point. The riddle isn't suggesting there is a magic dime or two magic nickels. The riddle is suggesting that to find the truth, you must start from the beginning and go a different path than is given.
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