missing dollar

Three people check into a hotel. They pay $30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is $25 and gives $5 to the bellboy to return to the people. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that $5 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets $2 and gives $1 to each person. Now each person paid $10 and got back $1. So they paid $9 each, totalling $27. The bellboy has $2, totalling $29. Where is the missing $1?

Room was $25.00, each person got a buck (makes $28.00) bellboy has the other $2.00. What's the problem???

It all adds up perfectly.

$25 to hotel + $2 to thief bellhop = $27 total paid by the guests

or you could say

$30 total = $25 room rate + $2 to the thief + $3 refund



Adding the stolen $2 to the $27 is the misdirection...