ORIGINAL: mclina
This is an old one that I had re-written for my son's cub scout den a few years ago. It was originally about a hotel room.
Three Cub Scouts are going camping. A campsite costs $30. Each scout pays the Park Ranger $10 and goes to set up camp.
The Park Ranger realizes that the scouts overpayed. A campsite only costs $25. He takes five $1 bills out of the box and heads to the campsite.
On the way, the Ranger realizes that three scouts can’t split $5 evenly, so he sticks $2 in his pocket.
The Ranger gives each scout back $1 and heads back to his station.
Now each scout has paid $9 for the campsite.
3 Scouts x $9 = $27
If you add the $2 that the Ranger stole, $27 + $2 = $29
WHERE DID THE OTHER DOLLAR GO?
There isn't an "other" dollar. The figuring is flawed.
If the three scouts originally paid $10.00 each for a $30.00 campsite. and the true cost is $25.00, then each scout should have paid $8.33. Add the dollar each got back, and they wound up paying $9.33. $9.33 x 3 scouts = $28.00. Add the $2.00 the ranger took, and you have the $30.00.