Tuesday, December 05, 2006

I can't see

Hello all blunderview readers. This is Mr. Blunderview writing on behalf of dear Joycie. Our computer's video card fried and is now under warranty repairs, which takes a little longer than simply putting out cash and getting prompt service. I am posting from my work.

We will hopefully have everything put back together after the coming weekend.

In the meantime, answer the following question if you can.

It's the case of the missing loonie (Canadian one dollar coin):

There are three ladies travelling together and find that they need to stop for the night. They come to a motel and find that the cost of the room is $30.00. They split the cost and pay $10.00 each. Later, the manager decides to give them a discount because of their positive attitudes. He decides to change the price to $25.00. He tells the bellboy to bring the $5.00 to their room. Before he arrives at the door he thinks to himself that he will make it easier on them by saving them the grief of splitting $5.00 three ways. So he decides to give them each $1.00 and keep two for himself. He gets to the door and gives them each $1.00 back, now commenting that they each spent $9.00 for the room instead of $10.00. He then thinks to himself, nine dollars per night per person. That makes 9x3=27. If they initially paid $30.00 and now after the discount only paid $27.00, I should have three dollars in my pocket, but I only have two. Where's the missing loonie?

Joyce will be back soon.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

A STORY PROBLEM?!

I read it, but I have to confess that all I actually heard was 'blah blah blah blah blah'.

I miss Joyce.

I'm wearing my ugly sweater for her today.

Judy - www.judyh58.blogspot.com

esther said...

oh my...my head hurts.

Anonymous said...

Hurry back, Joyce, Brian is trying to make us do maths! Blah!!

Bobita said...

Ooooo! I'm all over this one! I love a good riddle!

Joyce, I miss you!

Bobita said...

Okay Brian,
With the full price of $25 (after the lovely discount) each woman actually would have paid $8.333=$25. But Mr. Bellboy paid the ladies $1 each =$3. Because we are dealing with the original $25...each woman (with the extra $1) actually paid $9.3333. The "missing" loonie is in Mr. Bellboy's forgetting the extra $.333 in calculating the actual price the women ended up paying. By giving each woman $1, they each actually paid $9.3333, which when multiplied by 3 is: $28 not his miscalculation of $27.

That is my best shot...

andrea said...

I have a new disease: "Blunderview Withdrawal." Thanks for the shot of penicillin, B.B.

Anonymous said...

I was worried!
Thanks for the update Brian. I appreciate your efforts in entertaining the masses but I don't "do" math when I'm not teaching.
Here's the kind of thinking I do on a daily basis:
Ava: Knock, Knock
Lia: Who 'Dare!
Ava: Banana
Lia: Bana Whoot!
Ava: Banana aren't you glad I didn't say orange?
(and then they chuckle and I roll my eyes)
Greetings to Joyce, we miss you!
-Heather

Carlotti said...

Way to go Bobita! I was sure there was a reasonable explanation, but couldn't for the life of me come up with it.

sorry to hear your computer is sick. Get better soon - we all miss you!

P.S. This little corner of Nunavut is bright and shiny today without even a whisper of wind. Lovely. And tonight we even get our own rooms, thanks to the court people leaving. ahhhhhhhh......

Brian the Mennonite said...

Sorry Bobita, that's not it, but you're on the right track. I say that to all my students even though they are way off, because at least trying is on the right track.

Romeo Morningwood said...

27-25 = 2
Is there anyone else here that we can talk to?

shelley said...

joycie, Im back, up and running...no not running like with runners. I would never do that without you. I wrote a poste. My sinfully sad memory has made a comeback, and my brilliant, yet tired brain figured out how to get a new password. Im so smart!!! Im back!!!

lettuce said...

good grief, I'm not going to do maths this time of night.

If Bobita didn't get it, I know I wont.


Glad to hear the absence is only technical, look forward to Joyce being back soon.

(enough of your maths, in other words!)

Anonymous said...

Oh my...

Anonymous said...

WE WANT JOYCE! WE WANT JOYCE!

ALI

it's a gong show... said...

Miss ya Joyce...you HAVE to get up and running...your blog is my daily devotions!

Brand

Anonymous said...

i miss joyce.