Question: A man goes into a barbershop and gets a $15 haircut. He pays the barber with a $20 bill, but the barber doesn't have change because it is an especially slow day. The barber goes to the flower shop next to his own and trades the $20 bill for a $10 dollar bill and two $5 bills. Then he gives the man his $5 in change.
Later the lady from the flower shop confronts the barber and tells him that the $20 bill he gave her was counterfeit. The barber agrees and he gives the lady a different $20 bill.
Later that day he tries to figure out how much money he lost. What did he lose?
Options:
(A) $5
(B) $10
(C) $12
(D) $15
(E) $20 Random thoughts:
He lost $5. The lady from the flower shop gave him $20 in change, but eventually got $20 back. She broke even. The man who got the haircut gave the barber nothing (except counterfeit money) but got $5 back from the barber. So the barber lost only $5, and gave a free haircut. The final answer: (A).