Where Did the Dollar Come From ? Puzzle - Solution

The Puzzle:

Where Did the Dollar Come From ?

Two friends have a nice meal together, and the bill is $25

The friends pay $15 each, which the Waiter gives to the Cashier

The Cashier hands back $5 to the Waiter

The Waiter keeps $3 as a tip and hands back $1 each

So, the friends paid $14 each for the meal, for a total of $28. The Waiter has $3, and that makes $31. Where did the other dollar come from?

Our Solution:

$25 is sitting with the Cashier, $2 with the friends, and $3 with the Waiter. That adds to the required $30.

The mistake is expecting that what the friends paid and what the Waiter kept to add up to what the friends initially gave.

In fact, it is the amount that the meal effectively cost them, plus the amount they received back, that should add to $30.
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