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Can You Solve The Great Mystery??

Two friends have dinner in a restaurant, and the bill is $45.

The friends pay $25 each, which the waiter gives to the restaurant Manager.

The restaurant Manager hands back $5 to the waiter. 

The Waiter keeps $3 as a tip and hands back $1 each.

So, the friends paid $24 each for the meal, for a total of $48. The Waiter has $3, and that makes $51.

Where did the other dollar come from??

Give your Answers here in Comments section.


155 Responses to Can You Solve The Great Mystery??

  1. IY June 14, 2012 at 2:12 PM #

    No extra payment made and no extra dollar comes out. Simple accounting procedures….

  2. Mohammad Khan June 14, 2012 at 1:55 PM #

    Every body is right!! there is no confusion in the equation. None of the dollar is extra.

  3. Abubakar A June 14, 2012 at 1:43 PM #

    The $48 paid by the two persons included the $3 tip to the waiter and therefore you can not add it to $48 to get $51. The $1 dollar each got is the amount that sums it up to $50.

    This is not too hard a question.

  4. Ajit Kumar February 15, 2012 at 10:58 AM #

    please don’t post the stupid questions any more!!!!

  5. Faisal February 6, 2012 at 6:26 AM #

    they gave 48. waiter took 3 and the rest 45 gave to the manager….
    simple..
    good try though….

  6. Wsadegoke December 13, 2011 at 1:54 PM #

    If cost of dinner taken was $45 and the two friends paid $24 each to make $48, it mean the $3 tip has been accounted for. so it became double counting to have added $3 again to $48  

  7. Naeem_msc78 December 10, 2011 at 7:19 AM #

    initiatlly they paid 50 but they got 2 back, now 48 will be calculated i.e. 3 are in waiter pocket and 45 are in counters

  8. alam December 9, 2011 at 3:18 AM #

    Total bill was $45. Share of each friend is $22.5. Each friend contributed $25.00. They received $1.00 each. So, their contribution now is $24.00 each. The tip is $3.00 and half of that is $1.5. Share of each friend is as follows:
    $22.5+1.5 = 24.00
    2*24=48 – 3 (tip)  =  $45.00

  9. Dori December 7, 2011 at 10:32 AM #

    with my sum it comes to $50.00 exactly so stop confusing us.
     

  10. jalil December 3, 2011 at 1:12 PM #

    This one $ is not countable as they paid only 45 and to waitor 3.  Total paid 48.  not to be revised for waitor.

  11. Mhaskar Aly December 3, 2011 at 12:34 PM #

    3 dollar is part of 48 dllars paid…………we can’t reconsider

  12. Imad December 3, 2011 at 5:09 AM #

    the meal including the tip was 48 and thats how much was paid

  13. Umet777 December 3, 2011 at 3:48 AM #

    both friends pay 24 each, that mean a total of 48 which include 3 for the tip,so i dont think there is any confision

  14. Kolagafar December 2, 2011 at 6:12 PM #

    They did not actually pay 24 each for the meal. They paid 22.5 each for the meal, which makes 45. The waiter keeps 3, while they each receive 1 as change. There is no ghost dollar anywhere.

  15. HAIDER ALI786 December 2, 2011 at 1:07 PM #

    LOLLLZZZ

  16. Kaisar December 2, 2011 at 12:28 PM #

    some people need to learn math, and by some people I mean the riddler 

  17. Mahmoud Ghadban December 2, 2011 at 8:06 AM #

    What mystery in this? The friends paid 48 dollars (45 for the meals 3 for the waiter).
    You can not add what they have paid to what the waiter took.
    There is no mystery in this.

  18. Ogungbenro December 2, 2011 at 7:30 AM #

    The other dollar is with the Waiter. This is because each of them paid $23.5 each. This is equal to $57 plus $3 in the hand of Waiter. This is equal to $50. Therefore, other is in the hand of the Waiter.

  19. Ogungbenro December 2, 2011 at 7:30 AM #

    The other dollar is with the Waiter. This is because each of them paid $23.5 each. This is equal to $57 plus $3 in the hand of Waiter. This is equal to $50. Therefore, other is in the hand of the Waiter.

  20. Arif Mahmood111 December 2, 2011 at 5:10 AM #

    The answer is very simple Bill was 45 and paid amount was 48
    So  48-45=3 $ for Waiter

  21. Uwaisulde December 1, 2011 at 4:02 PM #

    the question is wrong

  22. Ahmednbello2005 December 1, 2011 at 3:02 PM #

    The concluding statement is misleading. The friends actually paid only 22.5 dollars each for the meal and gave tips of 1.5dollars each to the waiter. Total $48. This amount added to the $2 returned as change equal $50 and not $51. Ahmed Bello.

  23. Jemsmech December 1, 2011 at 1:07 PM #

    the each pay $23.5 each for the meal, and the waiter take $3, hence the total fee is 23.5+23.5+3=$50

  24. Liaquat_hussain December 1, 2011 at 10:10 AM #

    total 48 but tip 3 need to minus not to add, this will make 45 as payment and 3 tip making total 48

  25. Abedarkar December 1, 2011 at 9:48 AM #

    the bill is 45$ and they paid total 48 $ ie 45$ bill + 3 $ of tip that makes 48$ and thus as they had given- 25$ + 25$ =50 dollar they get return 2 $ which makes 1 $ each return to them..so where is the question of 51$ and 1 dollar extra…u cant count the tip of waiter twice…

  26. Gamalganzory December 1, 2011 at 9:32 AM #

    24 +24=48     dinner price paid
    48-3 tips =45 taken to returant manager
    tips must be subtracted from not modified to 48

  27. nagoor December 1, 2011 at 9:32 AM #

    bill is         $ 45.00           
    tip is          $ 03.00            
    balance is $ 02.00

    total is       $ 50.00 not 51

  28. Nasir Javaid December 1, 2011 at 8:58 AM #

    Sorry for correction they paid 45 and 3 so total 48 and got back 1 each

  29. mohamed MAROC December 1, 2011 at 8:34 AM #

    this is a stupid question!! that every one participated to it’s answer!!!!!

  30. Nasir Javaid December 1, 2011 at 8:19 AM #

    It is so simple as they paid 25 for meal and 3 to witer with total 48 so they paid 24 each.

  31. Waheed December 1, 2011 at 5:20 AM #

    Don’t Try to make fool. Where come each paid 24 dollors. they ate only for 22.5 Dollers each + 1.5 Doller Tips + Ballance 1 Doller. Works out for two freinds are 50 Dollers.
    Keep these types of shit with you

  32. Yasrab December 1, 2011 at 4:34 AM #

    A more simple question:
    Three persons have share of 1/9, 1/2 and 1/3. They got 17. How would you divide among them without any fraction

  33. mohamed labib November 30, 2011 at 11:34 PM #

    48=45+3  that is all

  34. Junedayz November 30, 2011 at 10:17 PM #

    the tip for the waiter…
    or the manager took a tip too =P
    just kidding

  35. Mohannad November 30, 2011 at 8:41 PM #

    It’s interesting how none of answers actually answers the question, you guys simply gave a different calculation that leads to the correct answer, not explained where that 1 came from.
    I’ll give you guys a few more shots at it before I write the answer =)

  36. Noman_malik20 November 30, 2011 at 8:36 PM #

    my answer is same They paid total 48 in ,45 for meal and 3 for waiter,means each person gives 22.5 dollars for the meal and 1.5 for the waiter ,don’t be count dollar 3 again

  37. Asieaanwar November 30, 2011 at 8:08 PM #

    They have paid 48 in actual, not 51. 3 of waiter are already added in 48. Without tip the bill was 45.

  38. Muhammad November 30, 2011 at 6:07 PM #

    the waiter has $3 +$45 for the meal = $48 so stop deluding by adding the $3 the waiter has again

  39. Sheikh Saadi November 30, 2011 at 5:40 PM #

    I heard this in a different way some time about 35 years ago.  There were 3 room mates living in a rented flat, the rent of which was 30 (whatever the currency).  One day they asked the rent collector to tell the house onwer to reduce the rent.  From 30, he returned 5 to the rent collector to give it back to the tenants.  He tought the division was odd, so he kept two, and return 3, i.e., one each for them.  Can you see how 1 s missing if you calculate.  They paid 9 each, instead of 10 each, because they each got 1 back.  Total 27 paid, the rent collector got 2, makes the total 29. 

    Sheikh Saadi 

  40. Nizamhm November 30, 2011 at 5:11 PM #

    Both of them paid 48 USD
    To Restaurant   45 USD
    and to the Waiter 03 USD
     So there is no excess dollar

  41. Mohammed S. Al -Salah November 30, 2011 at 4:56 PM #

    In fact the have paid ( USD 50 – 5 returned to waiter) = USD 45
    USD 45 + 3 Taken by the Waiter + ( USd 1 returned to each Guest 1×2 )  USD 2 = USD 50/–
    USD 50/– That the original Amount paid to the waiter.

    MAS –

  42. Usmangondal2002 November 30, 2011 at 4:31 PM #

    its very simple. each friend pay $24 means total payment is 48. $45 paid for food bill and $3 was tip. Don’t mix change given by manager in payment of friends.

  43. Nazim Mirza November 30, 2011 at 3:50 PM #

    As soon as Manager gave the $5 to waiter, Both of them paid $22.5 each, now remains $5, from this waiter keeps $3 that means $2 remains and he gives back $1 to each of them.
    so the calculation is 22.5+22.5+5+2=50 Dollars.
    Got It…

  44. Hashir November 30, 2011 at 2:25 PM #

    its just foolishness!!!!!!!!! the ans is they paid 25 each and not 24 each

  45. Samyaz54 November 30, 2011 at 2:14 PM #

    Of the change ($ 5), each of the two friends should $ 2.5, but he got 1 dollar. This means each of the two friends gave the waiter $1.5.

  46. Kleeblatt9 November 30, 2011 at 2:06 PM #

    simple
    each paid $24
    24*2=$48
    the meal cost $45
    48-45=$3
    so there is no more 1 

  47. Ali Ponjait November 30, 2011 at 2:01 PM #

    It is difficult to solve problem, if we are not aware of the root of problems…

    Here the complexity come from 45. Actually each friend pay 22.5 for meal and 1.5 for the waiter. So, that make 50. This is funny like snake tail…

  48. Magedkhaled58 November 30, 2011 at 1:35 PM #

    The two friends paid 48 from which 45 for the bill and 3 for the waiter.
    The waiter took 3 from the 48….

  49. Vikas November 30, 2011 at 1:34 PM #

    Actualy there is total meal value is 45 not 48

  50. Pareethu Bava Khan November 30, 2011 at 12:12 PM #

    25+25= 50
    50-45= 5
    After that calculation is on the figure 5 only
    ie 5-3=2
    2/2=1ie 1+1=2
    1 to each of them
    Pareethu Bava Khan