Missing Dollar

[BigBeachBanana]

There's a similar riddle called the "missing dollar". 3 friends are staying at a hotel. The total cost was $30, so each paid $10. However, the owner made a mistake. The actual cost was only $25, so he intends to return the $5. Since $5 can't be equally divided among 3 friends, the owner kept $2 to himself and returned each friend $1.
Effectively, each friend paid $(10-1)=$9, a total of $9x3 =$27, and the owner kept $2. That's $29. Where's the missing dollar?

Missing dollar riddle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JeffM]

There's a similar riddle called the "missing dollar". 3 friends are staying at a hotel. The total cost was $30, so each paid $10. However, the owner made a mistake. The actual cost was only $25, so he intends to return the $5. Since $5 can't be equally divided among 3 friends, the owner kept $2 to himself and returned each friend $1.
Effectively, each friend paid $(10-1)=$9, a total of $9x3 =$27, and the owner kept $2. That's $29. Where's the missing dollar?

Missing dollar riddle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nice bit of misdirection.

Initial state. Guests are out 30. Hotel is up 30. All in balance. 30= 30.

State after guests are given 3 back and desk clerk pockets 2.

Guests are out 27, hotel is up 25, clerk is up 2. All in balance . 27 = 25 + 2.

Double entry bookkeeping keeps you straight.

 

[BigBeachBanana]

Guests are out 27, hotel is up 25, clerk is up 2. All in balance . 27 = 25 + 2.

Haha, now my question is where's the missing $3?

 

[JeffM]

Haha, now my question is where's the missing $3?

The missing three dollars is in the guests’ pockets.

The whole “puzzle“ involves not keeping track of what sums to what.

Guests paid 30 initially. Got 3 refund. 30 - 3 = 27 is what guests ultimately paid.

Hotel got 30 initially. Gave back 5. 30 - 5 = 25 is what hotel ultimately received.

At this point, the 30 is irrelevant. No one paid 30, and no one received 30. What needs to be explained is the difference between what the guests ultimately paid and the hotel ultimately has in the till, namely 27 - 25 = 2.

Desk clerk initially got zero. Stole 2. 0 + 2 = 2. And 2 + 25 = 27.

 

[BigBeachBanana]

The missing three dollars is in the guests’ pockets.

The whole “puzzle“ involves not keeping track of what sums to what.

Guests paid 30 initially. Got 3 refund. 30 - 3 = 27 is what guests ultimately paid.

Hotel got 30 initially. Gave back 5. 30 - 5 = 25 is what hotel ultimately received.

At this point, the 30 is irrelevant. No one paid 30, and no one received 30. What needs to be explained is the difference between what the guests ultimately paid and the hotel ultimately has in the till, namely 27 - 25 = 2.

Desk clerk initially got zero. Stole 2. 0 + 2 = 2. And 2 + 25 = 27.

I wish the forum has a "clap" reaction button, but ?. Your answer is similar to Wikipedia's explanation.
I like to think about it more straightforward.

Spoiler

$30= Total guests paid + Total returned= Cost of hotel + Tip + Returned = $25 + $2 + $3