It turns out Slartibartfast was right.

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can. That's almost $7.00 in dog money.

— Joe Weinstein

A party of seven goes to dinner. A couple of us pay by credit card. The balance is $105, gratuity included, split five ways. That’s $21 each, right?

$21 + $21 + $21 + $21 + $25 - $4 = $120. We all agree that everyone put in $21. I think I watched the money going onto the table. No one thinks they overpaid.

Bistromathmatics, that’s the only explanation. I’m sure the waitress didn’t mind.

Comments:

Umm... I don't see how you come up with the $120.

Posted by Seairth Jacobs on 21 Apr 2004 @ 03:38am UTC #

The idea is that five people think they paid $21 each. Which should be $105. At $120 total someone made a miscalculation. :-) Or the two that didn't have to pay put something in as well anyway. BTW, I think it's "Bistromathics". Here's the original story from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: http://www.earthstar.co.uk/bistro.htm. If you don't understand it, don't panic: neither does Douglas Adams.

Posted by Maurits van Rees on 23 Apr 2004 @ 06:51pm UTC #

Ahh. I read that differently. I see what he was saying now.

Posted by Seairth Jacobs on 28 Apr 2004 @ 01:43am UTC #

Right. The mathematical inequality was the funny bit. To the extent that there was a funny bit.

Posted by Norman Walsh on 28 Apr 2004 @ 12:56pm UTC #
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