Rep for the Right Answer

[Jkurtz]

Three men decided to split the cost of a hotel room. The hotel manager gave them a price of $30. The men split the bill evenly, each paying $10, and retired to their room.
However, the manager realized that it was a Wednesday night, which meant the hotel had a special: rooms were only $25. He had overcharged them $5!

He promptly called the bellboy, gave him five one-dollar bills and told him to return it to the men. When the bellboy explained the situation to the men, they were so pleased at the honesty of the establishment that they promptly tipped the bellboy $2 of the $5 he had returned and each kept $1 for himself.

The Problem: Each of the three men ended up paying $9 (their original $10, minus $1 back) totalling $27, plus $2 for the bellboy makes $29. Where did the extra dollar go?

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

30 minus 3 is 27 minus 2 is 25.

You have to count it backwards. There is no missing dollar.

 

[Jkurtz]

Your Math is only slightly Off. But here's some rep for trying.

 

[Jkurtz]

Umm, how do I give you rep, when it's hidden.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

Aw. actually, my math is correct. Get a calculator if you disagree.

And I didn't answer your question for a reward. As you can see...my reps are turned off.

Have another one?

 

[Jkurtz]

Okay. The answer was this.....

The faulty reasoning lies in the addition at the end. 3 x $9 does equal $27, but the $2 tip is included in that $27, so it makes no sense to add the $2 to $27 to make $29. They paid $25 for the hotel room, $2 for the tip ($27), and then got $1 back each to make the original $30.

So i suppose your math was right. Next.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

She's right. It's not a valid equasion.

 

[Jkurtz]

They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. So, apparently, is a little bit of algebra:

A Proof That 2 = 1

(1) X = Y -- Given
(2) X^2 = XY -- Multiply both sides by X
(3) X^2 - Y^2 = XY - Y^2 -- Subtract Y^2 from both sides
(4) (X+Y)(X-Y) = Y(X-Y) -- Factor both sides
(5) (X+Y) = Y -- Cancel out common factors
(6) Y+Y = Y -- Substitute in from line (1)
(7) 2Y = Y -- Collect the Y's
(8) 2 = 1 -- Divide both sides by Y
QED! What's wrong with this 'proof'?

 

[Jkurtz]

Is this one harder?

 

[Jkurtz]

For those who wish for an easier one, I'll put one up. The first one to answer correctly gets rep.

A baseball team had just won the championship game and the players wanted to congratulate each other. They began shaking hands, but each player only shook hands with every other player just once. There are, of course, only 9 players on a baseball team. How many times did the players shake hands?

 

[Jkurtz]

Judging by the amount of answers we have flying around I think I might just give you the answer to the first.

 

[Bradford]

They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. So, apparently, is a little bit of algebra:

A Proof That 2 = 1

(1) X = Y -- Given
(2) X^2 = XY -- Multiply both sides by X
(3) X^2 - Y^2 = XY - Y^2 -- Subtract Y^2 from both sides
(4) (X+Y)(X-Y) = Y(X-Y) -- Factor both sides
(5) (X+Y) = Y -- Cancel out common factors
(6) Y+Y = Y -- Substitute in from line (1)
(7) 2Y = Y -- Collect the Y's
(8) 2 = 1 -- Divide both sides by Y
QED! What's wrong with this 'proof'?

This ignores the case that y=0 You cannot divide by zero. Step four is the problem.

 

[Bradford]

For those who wish for an easier one, I'll put one up. The first one to answer correctly gets rep.

A baseball team had just won the championship game and the players wanted to congratulate each other. They began shaking hands, but each player only shook hands with every other player just once. There are, of course, only 9 players on a baseball team. How many times did the players shake hands?

Your question has a logical hole. Each player shook hands 8 times.

Now- how many handshakes took place? That is 8 addetorial= 36 total handshakes.

 

[Jkurtz]

Ewww. You got the first and second right. I knew there was a hole by the way, seeing if people would get it.

 

[Utah Knight]

For those who wish for an easier one, I'll put one up. The first one to answer correctly gets rep.

A baseball team had just won the championship game and the players wanted to congratulate each other. They began shaking hands, but each player only shook hands with every other player just once. There are, of course, only 9 players on a baseball team. How many times did the players shake hands?

8