Huh! this question was asked by one of my army uncle when i was a kid. Let me rack the brain. In the question, the trick is whole number and the people are add (3). So one buck is slipping somwhere. Let make this easy :> Assume each had just $ 10 in their pocket. They paid 25. Each owed $ 8.33. They got $ 1 each. It makes $ 9.33. Bell boy got $ 2. It means $ 0.66 from each. It makes $ 10.00. Simple! Actually they pay $ 8.33 for the room. It is an interesting question though! I LIKE.