Quote:
|
A passenger on a trolley tendered a $1 bill in payment for his 5c. fare. The conductor said "I cannot make the change for a $1, but I can for a $5 bill." What money had he?
|
At first glance, I see this as a problem of how to make $4.95 change and not be able to make $0.95 change.
Some assumptions I make:
This transaction is being conducted (ha) in US money.
I am disregarding the idea that the "change being made" would be in some weird scrip from the trolley line, counting out a book of tickets equal to $4.95 for example. I don't count this as "money he had".
I'm assuming the passenger is only paying 5 cents for his ride. And that he does ride and he does pay and he does get change.
Hm, that's a lot of assumptions. Maybe the passenger says, "Ok, here's a nickel." But that doesn't answer the question "what money had he?". It makes the problem silly.
a passenger on a trolley (he has to pay). offers a $1, expecting 95c. change. conductor can't make 95c change. I hope this isn't part of the "trick". this sounds really plain. The conductor says he can make $4.95 change.... does he? he says he can make change for a $5 bill tendered for a 5c fare. Am I making an unfair assumption? I am not being literal in the recounting of the parameters, but that's where the cleverness of the puzzles hides...
It's a good puzzle.