Viral Brain Teaser: Can you find out how much money the store lost?

Step 3: Calculating the Financial Impact

To understand the overall financial impact of this transaction, we need to consider both the sale and the change given:

  • The store received 100butthengaveaway100 but then gave away 110.
  • Therefore, the net cash flow for the store from this transaction is:
    Net Cash Flow=Cash Received−Cash Given=100−110=−10\text{Net Cash Flow} = \text{Cash Received} – \text{Cash Given} = 100 – 110 = -10

This indicates that the store has lost $10 in cash.

Step 4: The Value of the Product

Now, it’s crucial to consider that the customer also took the product, which has a value of $100. This means we need to factor in the cost of the product to determine the total loss to the store:

  1. The store lost $10 in cash.
  2. The store also lost the $100 product.

Total Loss Calculation

To calculate the total loss:

  • Cash loss: $10
  • Value of the product: $100

Thus, the total loss can be expressed as:

Total Loss=Cash Loss+Value of Product=10+100=110\text{Total Loss} = \text{Cash Loss} + \text{Value of Product} = 10 + 100 = 110

So, the store’s total loss from this transaction amounts to $110.

The Trick Behind the Teaser

This brain teaser plays on the simplicity of the situation while hiding the complexity of what constitutes a loss. Many people might initially jump to the conclusion that the store only lost $10 due to the error in change. However, by considering the value of the product taken by the customer, it becomes clear that the total loss is significantly higher.