[jtsherri]

The way you're thinking about it doesn't follow the order of operations. If you back your way out of it following those rules, it'll give you $30. Not doing so gives you $29.

EDIT: What syncmaster says below is the correct answer... Was about to correct myself, but he got to it first. The way this question is USUALLY worded results in an issue with the order of operations.

[kenneth]

LOL! Those 3 girls can stay for free at my hotel, forget the missing $1.

[syncmaster]

3 x 9 = 27 + $ 2 (tip) what happened to the other dollar ?


the tips should be counted with the $27, thus..
$27 (total pay from the three girls)
-$25 (cost of the room)
$2 (Tips)


The wording is the tricky part of this question

[mistuhmao]

essentially they paid $27 for the room because it was originally $25 and with $2 tip = $27. They split the $3 evenly, so $27 + $3 = $30.

[MrZ]

If you were asking how is that possible that 27+2=29, not 30, although it "should" equal that, here is why:
in the original price of $30 the tips were not included, hence the price is $10 per room. But then we have some money returned, price drops, and as they pay tips, the price for room increases (if we include tips).
If they just took $5 and split, the price for room would be 25/3 for each
but now we have tips, and for some reason we calculate price for room as $9 per girl (30-5+2/3=27/3), so we include $2 tips in this calculation. Then question: why do we add tips again, since they are part of 9x3 calculation.

We should add $3 to $27 since it is a discount that was not counted to get originally paid $30.

P.S. not a math major

[darklord]

Where the motel???? I'm in!!!