Sailor Teaser

The following interesting quandary was forwarded from Dan Davidson.

Put on your thinking caps, because this one's going to hurt...

Three sailors walk into a motel and ask how much it would cost to spend the evening. The manager tells them that it will cost $30 for all three.

Each sailor gives the hotel manager $10.

Later, the manager realizes that he made a mistake. Because it is a weekday, the cost is $25, not $30. He gives $5 to the bell-boy and tells him to return the money to the sailors.

The bell-boy decides to keep $2, and returns the remaining $3 to the sailors - - $1 to each sailor.

Each sailor paid $10 but was refunded $1, netting $9 each.

$9 times 3 (number of sailors) equals $27.

$27 plus the $2 that the bell-boy kept equals $29.