# Help with math problem from when i went shopping today

#### heiheihei

##### New member
Can you guys please help me and my flatmate, we have a math problem and serious difficulties solving it to the point it's disturbing. We are going crazy here! Here it goes:

We were out grocery shopping for a dinner we hosted today. Four guests came over, so that made us a total of six people and all of us agreed on sharing the costs for the dinner. We got a little exited shopping realizing we needed toilet paper, soap, etc. so we paid for all of that together with all the dinner food, but only me and my flat mate should share the cost of the necessary stuff of course. All together we paid 1265 norwegian kroners. Here is the tricky part, my flat mate was a little short on cash so she paid 900 kroners and I paid 365 kroners. From the total, 336 kroners was the total of the stuff only my flatmate and I should pay equally much for. So to how much the guests should pay us back. Because it was a lot of leftovers we though it was reasonable for the guests to pay a little less than us, so we told them to transfer 140 kroners each to my flatmate. Thats a little less than the total for the dinner which was 929 kroners divided by six. My flatmate and I then share the remaining 89 kroners for the dinner food.

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Your flatmate owes you 43 kroners.

#### JeffM

##### Elite Member
Can you guys please help me and my flatmate, we have a math problem and serious difficulties solving it to the point it's disturbing. We are going crazy here! Here it goes:

We were out grocery shopping for a dinner we hosted today. Four guests came over, so that made us a total of six people and all of us agreed on sharing the costs for the dinner. We got a little exited shopping realizing we needed toilet paper, soap, etc. so we paid for all of that together with all the dinner food, but only me and my flat mate should share the cost of the necessary stuff of course. All together we paid 1265 norwegian kroners. Here is the tricky part, my flat mate was a little short on cash so she paid 900 kroners and I paid 365 kroners. From the total, 336 kroners was the total of the stuff only my flatmate and I should pay equally much for. So to how much the guests should pay us back. Because it was a lot of leftovers we though it was reasonable for the guests to pay a little less than us, so we told them to transfer 140 kroners each to my flatmate. Thats a little less than the total for the dinner which was 929 kroners divided by six. My flatmate and I then share the remaining 89 kroners for the dinner food.

Total purchased was 1265.

Four guests contributed 140 each toward the dinner for a total of 560.

Thus, the amount that you and your flatmate each ought to pay is one half of

1265 - 560 = 705, which is 352.5.

Make sense so far?

How much did you pay at the store? 365. So you are owed 12.5.

Does this make sense?

The dinner cost was 1265 - 336 = 929.

But the guests covered 560 of that, leaving 369 for the two of you to cover. Of course, you also bought
336 of non-dinner stuff so the total to be split between you two is 369 + 336 = 705. And half that is
352.5 as we saw before.

Where does your flatmate stand? Spent 900 and got back 560 for a net outlay of 340. But that is 12.5 less than 352.5. So again, you are due 12.5.

Now denis gave a different answer, but he is Canadian so there is no need to worry about what he says.

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Now denis gave a different answer, but he is Canadian so there is no need to worry about what he says.
Wouldn't you rather get 43 instead of 12.5 ??

#### JeffM

##### Elite Member
Wouldn't you rather get 43 instead of 12.5 ??
I would, but I'd rather not pay 43 instead of 12.5.

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Zee simple "picture":
Code:
         YOU              MATE
365               900    original expenditure
-560    340    paid by 4 guests
-12.5   352.5       12.5  352.5  to end up same
You're only getting 12.5, not 43: all Jeff's fault!

#### Jomo

##### Elite Member
Denis, do you just make up answers as you go along? I seriously am waiting for you to get your 1st question right. Didn't you join in 2004? ....

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Mr. Pope, making up answers is much more fun!

#### Jomo

##### Elite Member
Mr. Pope, making up answers is much more fun!
Fine, but do you have to do this on an educational forum? Did you even graduate high school?

#### Jomo

##### Elite Member
I think my new signature will be

Now Denis gave a different answer, but he is Canadian so there is no need to worry about what he says.

But then again I really do like

A mathematician is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat which isn’t there.

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Good idea...happy to help!

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Google: 1 Norwegian Kroner equals 0.12 United States Dollar.
so 12.5 of dem tings = \$1.50

#### Otis

##### Senior Member
… I'll have to think about [a new signature] for a bit.
How 'bout: "Denis is a blind cat in a dark room looking for a mathematician who isn’t there."

Meow!

#### topsquark

##### Full Member
Actually, Denis is like a Schrodinger's cat. We don't really know if he actually exists and I'm not about to open the box to find out!

-Dan

#### Denis

##### Senior Member
Dan, compliments will get you everywhere!