A tricky math puzzle has taken social media by storm, leaving people scratching their heads over a seemingly simple question: How much money did a store lose in a bizarre transaction involving a stolen $100 bill? The puzzle, originally shared by the X account “Out of Context Human Race,” has been viewed by millions, leading to heated discussions and multiple competing answers. Despite its straightforward setup, this riddle has proven to be a real brain-bender. Let’s dive in and see if we can solve it.
Here’s the situation: A man steals a $100 bill from a store’s cash register. Later, he returns to the same store, uses the stolen $100 bill to buy $70 worth of goods, and receives $30 in change. So, the key question is: What is the store’s total loss? Many people think the answer is obvious, but when they start to analyze the details, they realize it’s more complicated than it seems.
To break it down step by step, let’s examine each part of the transaction. Initially, the store loses $100 when the man steals it from the register. However, when he makes a purchase, he hands that same $100 bill back to the store. At this point, the cash register appears balanced again, but the store has given away $70 worth of products. Additionally, the store also gives him $30 in cash as change. If we add these two real losses together—$70 worth of goods and $30 in cash—it’s clear that the store’s total loss is $100.
Despite this logical breakdown, some people argue that the store actually lost $130, reasoning that the initial theft of $100 should be counted separately from the $30 in change. However, this overlooks the fact that the stolen bill was returned, effectively canceling out the original theft in terms of cash balance. The store’s actual loss comes from what it physically gave away: the merchandise and the cash change.
This puzzle is a perfect example of how tricky math problems can make us rethink basic concepts like transactions and losses. The key takeaway is that the store lost $100, which consists of the $70 worth of goods and the $30 in cash. Many people struggled with this one, but now that you know the answer, you can confidently explain it to others. Were you able to figure it out on your own?
