Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kikapu]

Three men go to a TV shop to purchase a set which costs £30, so each man paid £10 each towards the £30. After the men left, the shop keeper realised that he over charged them by £5, so he gave his son £5 in £1 notes to return it back to the men. The son figures, it's going to be hard to split £5 between the men, so he decides to keep £2 pounds for himself and give back £1 to each of the men, which he does. So, as far as the men are concerned, they have each paid only £9 towards the TV. Well, 3 times £9 equals £27, plus the £2 the son took, makes £29. Where did the other £1 go.???

[Pubdog2]

But the TV cost £25.

So the calculation should be 3 x £9 = £27 minus the £2 the son took = £25

If you are trying to add it up to the original £30 then its 3 x £9 = £27 + £5 (original overcharge) minus £2 the son took = £30

[Kikapu]

Well, you can get to £30 in various ways, just can't do it the way I wrote the puzzle, that's the problem. Also the TV cost $27 to the men, not $25.

[Pubdog2]

Yes - it is the way that it is worded that makes it seem complicated.

The men paid £27 between them - we are agreed on that.
Of the £27 that was paid, the father took £25 and the son the other £2

There is no money missing really - it is all in the wording

[Kikapu]

Pubdog2,

You get 10 out of 10 for your various way of answering it. You're correct, the way it is worded, there's always going to be £1 pound missing, when we all know that there isn't any money missing. It's like an illusion when doing tricks. Bottom line, there's no answer to the puzzle, if you don't change the intended wording.

[Mills Chapman]

I nominate Pubdog2 for solving the Cyprus problem.