Viral Brain Teaser: Can You Figure Out How Much Money the Store Lost?
Brain teasers and riddles have always been a great way to challenge our thinking and boost our cognitive skills. Recently, a viral math puzzle has taken the internet by storm, leaving many people scratching their heads. The question seems simple at first, but once you dive into the calculations, it gets trickier.
In this article, we’ll break down the viral brain teaser and help you solve it step by step. So, put on your thinking cap and let’s get started!
The Brain Teaser: A Store’s Lost Money Puzzle
The puzzle goes like this:
A customer walks into a store and buys an item worth $70. However, the customer only has a $100 bill and gives it to the store owner. The owner doesn’t have change, so he goes to a nearby store and exchanges the $100 bill for five $20 bills.
He then gives the customer $30 in change and keeps the $70 for the item sold.
Later, the store owner finds out that the $100 bill was fake! He now has to return a real $100 bill to the other store.
So, the big question is: How much money did the store actually lose?
Step-by-Step Breakdown
Let’s analyze the store’s loss carefully.
-
The store owner gave the customer an item worth $70.
-
The owner gave $30 in change.
-
The owner exchanged a fake $100 bill for real money from another store.
-
The other store later realizes the fraud, and the owner has to pay back $100 in real money.
Now, let’s calculate:
-
The $70 item is gone.
-
The $30 in change is gone.
-
The store lost a real $100 bill to the other shop.
Total loss = $70 (product) + $30 (cash) = $100
The Trick Behind the Puzzle
Many people mistakenly think the store lost $170 because they count both the fake and real $100 bills. However, the fake bill never had value to begin with. The store’s real loss is simply the value of the item plus the real money given as change.
The correct answer is: The store lost $100.
Why Brain Teasers Like This Are Great for the Mind
Brain teasers and logic puzzles like this help improve:
✅ Critical thinking skills
✅ Mathematical reasoning
✅ Problem-solving abilities
Engaging in such puzzles can train your brain to think more logically and make better financial decisions in real life.
Final Thoughts
This viral brain teaser is a perfect example of how simple math can be misleading when you don’t break it down properly. Many people overcomplicate the problem, but with the right approach, the answer becomes clear.
Did you get the right answer? Share this with your friends and see if they can figure it out!
