The three lawyers paid a $30 fee for a hotel room. They received a $5 discount, so each lawyer got $1 back. They also gave the bellhop a $2 tip. However, when they calculated their individual expenses of $9 each and the $2 tip, the total was $29 rather than the original $30. The riddle aims to determine what happened to the missing $1.

1. Three Guys at a Hotel Riddle
Three guys rent a hotel room for the night. When they get
to the hotel they pay the $30 fee, then go up to their
room. Soon the bellhop brings up their bags and gives the
lawyers back $5 because the hotel was having a special
discount that weekend. So, the three lawyers decide to
each keep one of the $5 dollars and to give the bellhop a
$2 tip. However, when they sat down to tally up their
expenses for the weekend, they could not explain the
following details:
Each one of them had originally paid $10 (towards the
initial $30), then each got back $1 which meant that they
each paid $9. Then they gave the bellhop a $2 tip.
HOWEVER, 3 • $9 + $2 = $29.
The guys couldn't figure out what happened to the other
dollar. After all, the three paid out $30 but could only
account for $29.
Can you determine what happened?

2. There are many ways of explaining/thinking about this truly brain
bending riddle! It all boils down to the fact that the lawyers' math
is incorrect.
They did NOT spend $9 • 3 + $2.
They spent exactly $27 dollars. $25 for the room and $2 for the
tip. Remember they got exactly $3, in total back.
Another way to think about the answer to this riddle is to just
pretend that the bellhop refunded $3 to the lawyers (rather than
giving them $5 and receiving $2 back).
If the lawyers get $3 back and each takes $1. Then they spent
exactly $27 dollars.
ANSWER