wow, this riddle sure has spurred a lot of debate. Maegan, lets look at the riddle again.

1.A seller is selling a hat for 10 dollars. A customer comes and decides to buy it, but he only has a 20 dollar bill.(which is fake as we later find out)
2.The seller askes his helper to get change from a neighbor for the customer

Maegan,

You are right, the seller is indeed out a $10 hat and $20 in real cash. What you’re forgetting to take into account is that in the mean time his till (cash register) went up by $10 in real money. SO, in returning the real $20 to the neighbor he was only out $10 real money. He only lost a total of $10 off his bottom line with that transaction due to his bottom line being bumped $10 previously. Then combine the $10 cash he’s out with the $10 value of the hat and you have a total loss of $20.

Thanks guys.  I finally ended up understanding it a few days ago in one of the chit chit threads.  I don’t have any brain cells left.  But I know why I’m just out a coke (as a cashier) and just out $20 (as a seller).

I appreciate it.

That sure sounds like “Stop talking to me about it”.

There’s a great article in the new Cosmopolitan magazine…

“What she says vs. What she really means!”

Which I would consider a MUST read for all men!!!

Do you read a LOT of Cosmo, Mark?

Maegan - 01 September 2005 02:39 PM

Do you read a LOT of Cosmo, Mark?

EVERY month… cover to cover!

The best military strategist will tell you that one of the most important rules of battle is… “Know thy enemy!”

And it is indeed a battle of the sexes!!!

Besides, I could not begin to count the number of times that information I’ve gleaned from that magazine has come in VERY handy!