🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1k2sfkINN9pf@sipi.usc.edu> haddadi@sipi.usc.edu (Navid Haddadi) writes:
>Here is a very old puzzle:
>Three men rent a room for $30. The inn keeper decides that he has
>over charged them and gives the bellboy $5 to give back to the men.
>The bellboy decides to keep $2 and give each man $1. 
>So, each man has paid $9 (3x9=27) plus the $2 that the boy kept.
>Hence, 27+2=30.
>
>It is actually more funny than silly!

I am sure you'll get a million replies, but I am  posting because for
some bizarre reason, I couldn't get this old one out of my head as I
fell asleep last night.

The $2 that the bellboy kept is part of the $27, so it makes no
sense to add it to a sum it's already included in.

You can say: $30 paid = $25 charged + $3 refunded + $2 stolen, or
              $27 paid = $25 charged + $2 stolen.

--- adc