there is no missing €1

The meal cost €25 + €2 tip = 27

27 divide by 3 = 9

the error is the last statement "The Total accounted for is €29" What the diners spent included the waiters tip.

Thanks, I get it now; once the money is given back to the diners by the waiter the €30 is not relevant; €27 is. The next problem is how to explain this to my 12-year old so that he can explain it to his friends tomorrow.

In the statement the "the money accounted for was $29" was a deliberate diversion from the truth. It included the Tip twice; What the diners paid (diner + tip) then added it again to mislead a person to add to 30.

The 30 dollars was mentioned numerous times in the leading steps. It was also set up in the first lines as a reference total. This is a "trick" used by magicians and mentalists and sales persons to make a person think of a number. They also did all the math for you so you would trust them and and they could sneak in the deception.

you forgot politicians and the media!

And my ex-wife.

That' why they put up signs that say 'watch your hat and coat' at the entrance to the restaurant.

So you wont notice the slight of hand

keep one eye on the coat rack and one on the wallet, lmao.

The boy has really outsmarted you by adding €2(of waiter) to €27 (net total expenditure) in stead of subtracting it from €27 i.e. 27-2=25 paid agianst bill.

Is this is an example of something called the 'short con'? Someone making €1 out of it?

Ahah!

Withhold the missing €1 from the youngster's pocket money until the solution to the problem has been demonstrated!

Good plan - I like that one!

Hi JaDien, This is the oldest puzzle in the book, our teacher 50 years ago asked us this question, and asked us to come up with the right answer the next day. The diners actually paid £9.66p each! Spencer.

The total amounts to 27, from there 2 pounds is the tip d.i. 27+3 equals 30. In point 11, 9x3=27 not 29 as you indicated. There is no catch, 3x1 is not 1 but3.

Kind of easy

Actually the trick is in how much they each paid. Once the bill came to 25 then EACH person paid 8.33. With the dollar refund it came to 9.33 each which totals 28 plus the tip equals 30. Now bring on the 13 year old.

The bill was only 25. 25 divided by 3=8.33. This is what they paid. The tip was 2. 2 divided by 3=.666 per diner. 8.33+.66 = 9*3= 27 This is what each paid equaling out to 27 + the 3 dollars given back = 30.

I got nuthin