puzzle

[Lakeslass]

This is driving me crazy and I'm sure one of you clever people will put me out of my misery. Three men went into a restaurant and each ordered a meal costing �10. When they had finished the went to the till and paid �30. The owner came along and said that they could have the meal for �25 so the waitress took �5 out of the till and gave it to them. As they couldn't divide �5 by 3 they told the waitress to give them �1 each and keep the balance of �2. SO each man went home with �1 having paid �9. The waitress had �2. 3 x 9 = 27, plus the �2 = �29. Where is the other pound? Of course I know that the meal cost �25, the waitress had �2 making �27 which is what they paid. What I want to know - what is the flaw in the first scenario?

[kayakamina]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puz zles/Question216932.html

[Salty]

The flaw is simple: The �2 is part of the �27, not additional to it, so adding the two numbers together makes no sense. You should subtract �2 from �27 giving what the restaurant got for the meal - �25.

[Lakeslass]

Thankyou both. I did put a thankyou somewhere but must have put it in the wrong place.

I knew what the maths were, but went along un thinkingly with the chap who told me the puzzle when he said "The men had spent �9 each and the Waitress had �2". I realized that something was being counted twice, but for the life of me couldn't think what it was. Probably too much red wine - again

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