Three men went into a pub
My internet woes are over and I can finally log in to steemit!
So, for the past little while I've been reduced to the internet on a phone, which is sufficient to view and read already-posted stories that you fine steemians have written, but it was absolutely unfeasible to write or post anything. Impossible to even log in. When I read anything, it was usually from my sister's phone. So, here I am now, ready to review and post stories. If you submitted a story, I never got it, so please send it to me again! Let's get this thing going!
I've been reading Call the Midwife, a trilogy of memoirs by the late Jennifer Worth, who worked as a midwife in the 1950s in the poorest section of London. A fascinating read, and I'll have some posts to write about it as I reflect on history and the status of the world today.
Anyway, the author worked as a nurse with nuns. In the beginning of Book 3, the convent's handyman, Fred, gives the nurses a puzzle, which goes something like this:
Three men went into a pub. They bought food and drink to equal 30 shillings. They paid 10 shillings each to the waiter, who took the money to the cashier. The cashier said the men had been over charged, and gave the waiter back 5 shillings. The rascally waiter pocketed 2 shillings, then gave the men back 3.
The men were happy. Instead of paying 10 shillings each, they paid 9.
3 men at 9 shillings each comes to 27 shillings.
The waiter pocketed 2 shillings, that takes the total to 29.
But they paid 30. Where is the last shilling?
The nurses can't figure this out... I did... can you?
Hi hunny! I resteemed you!
To all my followers, this is my wife. She's running project ghostwriter. Follow her for some great stories!
Excellent writer. Great work. I think a shilling was misappropriated. :-)
All shillings are accounted for, none is lost.
:-o
The three men actually paid 25 shillings because that's all that reached the cashier. So they each were refunded one additional shilling plus the two the waiter pocketed. That's 25+3+2=30
Where it gets confusing is the fractional math when you say 3 men paid 10 shillings each and were owed 5/3=1.66667 in return each. Then when the waiter pockets the two shillings their return becomes 2/3=0.66667 each. In the end each man paid 9.3333 each x3=28 + the two pocketed coins =30
I'm not showing math every step of the way because time.
What a guy! Upvoted!
Great deduction! So glad you had fun with this puzzle =o)
Cashier kept it. or on the floor somewhere? Fun post!
No fair! That was my answer! ;)
It's the only one that makes realistic sense! :D
Realistic, until you take a look at the math...
I find myself during travel in the same predicament of reading, upvoting and commenting only, however even this is fun and informative, thanks for the fun in the post.
So glad you enjoyed it! I'll try to find and post some more fun puzzles.
Who was the last person you talked to?
In person or online?
In person, I talked with my sister.
Online, I talked with @williambanks. Or, now I've talked with you!
The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.
That is some great wisdom!
If the bill is 5 shillings too much, the 3 men need to divide the 5 between themselves. Everyone gets
back or rewritten
. As a customer you pay 10 and get back
. Effectively you pay
.
The final bill per person is
. Lets reverse. 
(even more simplified: 
and 
) original bill was 30 with the 5 reduction makes it 25.
Now the waiter pockets 2 shillings. He burdens 3 people with 2 shillings. Thus every man donates an extra
for the waiter. Lets double check 
. Indeed waiter gets 2 extra.
The first statement is correct. Every man pays 9 shillings.
and a bonus burden of 
making it an even 9 per person.
The second statement is incorrect. They did not pay 30. They paid 27. Officially 25, but an extra 2 donation to the waiter makes it a final bill of 27.
Great deduction!
When I figured out the solution, I was in the middle of driving.
I, too, realized the men didn't actually pay 27 shillings, they paid 25 shillings.
25/3 = 8 1/3
Then each had 1 shilling returned, so they paid effectively 9 1/3 shillings. That is 28, plus the 2 the waiter stole, =30
:) I've heard this a few ways and heard it explained a few more but I always end up like Lou in this classic sketch.
Now lend me 0.50 STEEM :)
Let me solve it by retell a similar story where all money are 10 times bigger except the pocketed.
Three men went into a pub. They bought food and drink to equal 300 shillings. They paid 100 shillings each to the waiter, who took the money to the cashier. The cashier said the men had been over charged, and gave the waiter back 50 shillings. The rascally waiter pocketed 2 shillings, then gave the men back 48. The men were happy. Instead of paying 100 shillings each, they paid 84.
3 men at 84 shillings each comes to 252 shillings. The waiter pocketed 2 shillings, that takes the total to 254. But they paid 300. Where are the 46 shillings?