Welcome, fellow puzzle enthusiasts and keen observers of everyday mysteries! Today, we’re diving into a classic conundrum that has baffled many and sparked countless head-scratching moments. It’s a tale of three friends, a delicious meal, and a seemingly disappearing sum of money. Get ready to put your logical thinking to the test, because we’re about to untangle “The Curious Case of the Missing 10 USD.”
That Evening at “The Delightful Diner”
It was a Friday evening, and three good friends, Alex, Ben, and Chris, decided to gather at the newly opened “The Delightful Diner” to enjoy some dinner. After a lively conversation and a satisfying meal, the bill arrived. Their total meal cost 300 USD.
Alex quickly said, “Alright, let’s each chip in a hundred, to make it even!” So, each person pulled out 100 USD, making a total of 300 USD, which they handed to the waitress.
The waitress took the money to the cashier. A few minutes later, the owner stepped out with a friendly smile: “Thank you for supporting our diner! We have a special promotion today; your meal is only 250 USD.”
The owner returned 50 USD in change to the waitress to give back to Alex’s group. On her way out, the waitress thought: “These customers are so nice, I should keep a little tip.” So, she kept 20 USD for herself, then equally divided the remaining money among the three friends, giving each 10 USD.
Alex, Ben, and Chris happily received their change. Alex calculated: “I initially paid 100 USD, and now I got back 10 USD. So, in reality, I only paid 90 USD.”
The three friends nodded in agreement: “That’s right, each of us paid 90 USD. Three people makes a total of 270 USD.”
Suddenly, Chris frowned: “Wait a minute, the tip for the waitress was another 20 USD. So, the total is 270 USD plus 20 USD in tip, which is 290 USD. We clearly paid 300 USD, the restaurant took 250 USD, and there was 50 USD left. So, where did the missing 10 USD go?”
The Riddle for You:
Can you help Alex, Ben, and Chris figure out where that missing 10 USD went?
The Illusion Explained
The trick in this riddle lies in how the numbers are added up, creating a deceptive misdirection. Let’s break it down:
- The actual cost of the meal was 250 USD. This is the amount the restaurant received.
- The waitress took a 20 USD tip. This is also money that ultimately came from the friends.
- The total money spent by the friends that actually left their pockets is 250 USD (for the meal) + 20 USD (for the tip) = 270 USD.
The error occurs when Chris adds the 270 USD (which is what they paid) to the 20 USD (the tip). The tip is already included within the 270 USD that the friends effectively paid. You shouldn’t add the tip to the amount they paid; you should add the tip to the amount the restaurant received (250 USD) to get the total amount the friends ended up paying (270 USD).
Alternatively, think of it this way:
- Each friend paid 100 USD, total: 300 USD.
- They got back 10 USD each, total: 30 USD.
- So, they actually paid 300 USD – 30 USD = 270 USD.
This 270 USD covers both the 250 USD for the meal and the 20 USD for the tip. There is no missing 10 USD. The initial framing of “270 USD + 20 USD” is incorrect because it double-counts the tip’s portion of the money spent.
And there you have it! The “missing” 10 USD was never truly missing; it was an artifact of flawed accounting. This riddle is a brilliant example of how our brains can be tricked by the way information is presented, leading us down a path of logical misinterpretation. It reminds us to always consider what values we’re truly adding or subtracting in any calculation.
Did you manage to crack the code? Share your thoughts below, and stay tuned for more mind-bending puzzles!
