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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. Kamran Khalil March 9, 2015 at 5:38 PM #

    The $ 3 kept by the waiter are included in $ 48. Hence, cannot be double counted.

  2. Saleem Zafar August 11, 2014 at 9:19 PM #

    Very simple when 5 dollar given back to waiter so bill is 45 and each cost 22.5 then each one get back 1 and tip 3 which is 1.5 I each, no extra dollar total 50

  3. Aleem Soofiyani August 11, 2014 at 11:53 AM #

    amazing and usless confusion, many people replied, why i dimagka dahe banaoun.

  4. Najeeb Khan October 29, 2013 at 5:09 PM #

    Each Friend Paid 25 – 1 = 24
    Thus 24 * 2 = 48

    Charges Per Head

    1. Meals 22.5 * 2 = 45
    2. Tip 1.5 * 2 = 3

    Total Amount Paid = 48

    Hence No confusion to pay extra $ 1

  5. Mohamed Muneer August 13, 2013 at 5:44 PM #

    Bill Amount = 45
    Tip = 3
    Balance = 2

    Then y confused on this calculation 😀

    Calculation = 45 + 3 + 2 = 50

    Brief identification: Actual cost for each paid 45/2 = 22.5
    1 person has paid for tip 3/2 = 1.5
    1 person should be paid like 22.5 + 1.5 = 24 Rs.
    The balance amount of a person is 25 – 24 = 1

  6. Abs August 10, 2013 at 6:00 AM #

    Question posed in a tricky way else, there isn’t anything to thing about
    Actual cost = Bill + tip =45 + 3 =48, 48/2=24, balance is $2

  7. rizwan khan August 10, 2013 at 12:51 AM #

    the total of 48 were paid by them that included $3 for the waiter……….not $51

  8. AAMIR August 8, 2013 at 7:15 PM #

    I HATE MATHEMATICS…

  9. asiimwe rosemary July 10, 2013 at 4:23 PM #

    how wise………..sarah u make some of us think off our heads with calculations…oh no ..i hate calculations..it reminds me of UNEB….I USED TO HATE MATHNATICS…SOMEONE ELSE HELP ME…(ITS FUN).HOW BRILLIANT U ARE SARAH…..I LIKE YO JOKES.

  10. asiimwe rosemary July 10, 2013 at 4:19 PM #

    how wise………..sarah u make some of us think off our heads with calculations…oh no ..i hate calculations..

  11. Salka May 1, 2013 at 8:53 PM #

    Each one payed 23.5 dollars not 24.
    Because 45/2=22.5 and 22.5+1=23.5
    So (23.5*2)+3=50

  12. Farooq February 17, 2013 at 12:37 PM #

    Paid by Individual = 24X2 = $ 48
    Money received back = $ 1
    Net paid by Both = $ 47
    Tip with the waiter = $ 3
    Total Transaction = $ 50
    With Best Wishes ….. Farooq

  13. Ibrahim February 7, 2013 at 1:22 PM #

    the two friends have already paid the 3 dollar wich is with the waiter , so we
    have to deduct 3 $ from the amout : 48 – 3 = 45 $
    so it’s wrong to add the 3 $ .

  14. Fatemah January 25, 2013 at 2:57 PM #

    Because the manager gave 5 dollers and waiter kept 3 dollers as tip and gave 1 doller back. Hehad to guve two dollers back. Not one.

  15. SLOW JOE January 22, 2013 at 3:44 PM #

    the meal was $45 + $3 TIP = $48
    ADD $2 CHANGE MAKES $50

    THUS THEY EACH DID PAY $24 FOR THE MEAL WHICH WAS INCLUDING THE TIP GIVEN TO THE WAITER. $24 + $24 = $48
    $48 + $2 CHANGE = $50

    SO THE ENDING STATEMENT IS JUST TO CONFUSE US

    • Ali - Admin January 22, 2013 at 4:23 PM #

      Good one Slow Joe. You are smart.

  16. Mathew January 10, 2013 at 2:55 PM #

    Cost of food for each friend $22.5 x 2 = $45
    Tip taken by the waiter is split $3/2 ($1.5 each x 2) = $ 3
    Balance given to the friends $2 ($1 each) = $ 2
    The answer is $50 and not $51.
    Could you explain how you arrived at $51

  17. Shaikh qutub December 24, 2012 at 12:32 AM #

    THE THREE DOLLARS SHOULDNOT BE ADDED TO 48$ . IT SHOULD ADD TO 45$ WHICH HAS BEEN RECEIVED . THAT IS 45+3=48

  18. Ahmad Ibraheem December 15, 2012 at 10:26 PM #

    I am with mairo & sonah on this, from the actual the sum is 50 not 51

  19. mohammad Mansour December 10, 2012 at 12:53 PM #

    Total Payment : 45 + 3 = 48
    Paid by each : 48 / 2 = 24
    We should not consider the Tip twoice

  20. Mawashi December 3, 2012 at 5:51 PM #

    There was a mistake somewhere

  21. zaid December 3, 2012 at 4:13 PM #

    2 freinds paid 23.5 each not 24
    50-3=47
    47/2=23.5

  22. zaid December 3, 2012 at 2:51 PM #

    no answer

  23. Mairo November 26, 2012 at 6:21 PM #

    add $24 + $24 dollars =$48 then – $45 = $3. The $50 total paid by friends ($50-$2 = $48), therefore $50 by two friends means each paid $22.5 to the restaurant add $1 making $23.5 x 2 = $45. So the coreect calculation is $50 not $51.

  24. azeem October 18, 2012 at 4:53 PM #

    Total contributed by two friends is $48. Food costs $ 45 and $3 spent as tip. That is all about the mathemitcs. Regarding calculation of $51 the author may have a good reason to make a mistake and we wish to know his ligic if any.

  25. MULIK SAYEEDI October 4, 2012 at 6:26 AM #

    They paid $48 from which Hotel got $45 and waiter got $3

  26. Sonah October 1, 2012 at 1:13 PM #

    There is no accountability problem in the story.It’s a non-issue .They paid $50.They got back $2 For the 2 guys, It cost each of them $24. We know the waiter took $3. which means the effective price was $22.50 i.e $45 in all. Add $2 that was returned and the $3 taken by the bearer. Its round figure of $50., not $51.

  27. shaukat September 30, 2012 at 10:40 AM #

    Paid to the manager = 45$
    Paid to the waiter = 3$
    Total payment = 48$
    So, both paid 48/2 = 24$ each
    Remained money = 2$
    2+48 make 51 not 51

  28. Ansar September 22, 2012 at 10:33 AM #

    the both friedns gave $25 and waiter keep tip $3 then make it $48 why we count tip $3 twise a time to make it $51

  29. shashi September 15, 2012 at 2:40 PM #

    I agree with Aaryan.

    • ARIF KHAN September 22, 2012 at 1:11 PM #

      I AGREED WITH BOTH. DON’T COUNT THE TIP AGAIN ITS ALREADY INCLUDED IN MEAL.

  30. Mital Pawar August 2, 2012 at 1:47 PM #

    Total bill was $45 & they paid $48 ($24 each) the excess amount paid by them of 3$ which was tip.

    • Latif Al Balushi/Oman September 4, 2012 at 12:41 PM #

      O.K, what about if the waiter takes $2 and return $3, which each will take $1.5, here you will find $1 shortage, now i ask you all, where is the missing 1 $.

  31. Nagaraj Shenoy July 19, 2012 at 5:08 PM #

    The answer can be explained in a simplest (layman’s language!) way like this:
    The net amount paid by each is $24. This includes the tip given to waiter. Hence again to add the tip of $3 and getting $1 extra is wrong explanation of the problem itself. As $24 includes the tip of the waiter, the problem is solved there itself.

  32. Cambonga July 3, 2012 at 2:28 PM #

    There is no place for $51.00, because the bill is $45.00, the tip is $3.00 and the money back is $2.00. $50.00 is the initial money that was given by the two friends at restaurant.

  33. Rasel June 26, 2012 at 2:38 PM #

    expense = (45+3)/2=24

  34. Hemaid M. Hemaid June 24, 2012 at 11:29 AM #

    The whole payment is only $48. $45 to the manager, while the $3 are tipped to the waiter. There is no any discrepancies at all.

  35. Abdullah June 20, 2012 at 2:47 PM #

    They payed 45 bill value and 3 tip and received back 2 dollars change that is 50. There is 1 dollar extra

  36. Thottupurath Mohammed June 19, 2012 at 6:25 PM #

    The question is below average as there is no place for $51

  37. Mohd June 17, 2012 at 12:40 PM #

    Already answered. Bur present it in this way which is simpler
    Each payed 24 after the return of one dollar totaling 48. Which is equal to 45 + 3tip

  38. [email protected] June 17, 2012 at 10:59 AM #

    The Best Answer from Aaryan. I am going to wright but it is already present.

  39. ghias June 16, 2012 at 9:36 AM #

    There is no mystery, each one paid 24 dollars, that includes tip of waiter, so they both get back two dollars.
    Means, each one paid 22.50 = 1.50 = 24 dollars.

  40. Aaryan June 15, 2012 at 11:00 AM #

    45/2= 22.5, 22.5+1= 23.5, 23.5*2= 47, 47+3= 50

  41. Mohammad Tanvir June 15, 2012 at 10:55 AM #

    under stand it than ask any thing first add the outgoing and than add the remaining like ” $45 cost + $3 Tip For waiter + $2 return made by the Waiter = $50 total Payment.
    Please rectifying the order of add up!

  42. Ahmed June 15, 2012 at 3:21 AM #

    The mistake is each one paid 22.5 resturant and 1.5 to waiter and take 1dollar so the total is 50not 51

  43. Muhammad zubair June 14, 2012 at 9:05 PM #

    $3 must have to be minus in $48 not to be plus. The answer is
    $48-$3=45

  44. sangi June 14, 2012 at 8:47 PM #

    the other such confusing calculation may be that the waiter returned eac 2 dollars and kept 1 for himself; now they spent 46 in all and the waiter kept 1 that totlas 47; where the 3 are gone now???

    • ??•ø???® ????? June 17, 2012 at 1:40 AM #

      gud one sangi 🙂 can I answer it? 🙂

  45. ALI June 14, 2012 at 6:48 PM #

    As said earlier, the $3 for tip is part of the money i.e $24 paid for the meal.

  46. Salah Uddin June 14, 2012 at 3:42 PM #

    Yes Mr. Sharif, you are right!

    This is to dodge the dumboos only. The waiter’s tip $3 is the part of the 48 that they paid distributed, and rest $45 is the bill. It shouldn’t be confusing.

  47. sharif June 14, 2012 at 3:22 PM #

    dear
    each friend spent 24 and total spent money is 48$. these 3$ is out 48. 45$ were paid to the onwer while 3$ was tip.