When I saw the
math question (no offence, Christ) I remembered a story I heard many years ago from a math professor at some university in the US. This is supposedly true. He said that when it was time for the final exams in his course he got a note from one of his superiors about one of his students, who happen to have an athletic scholarship:
"Mr. X must pass Advanced Calculus because he is good at basketball."
So, since Mr. X hardly ever attended class, but
had to pass, he had an individual exam: He came to the prof and had to solve some very easy integral. But he just sat there, staring at it.
So the prof helps him by giving a hint.
Nothing.
So the prof starts explaining basics.
Nothing.
So the prof shows him how to do the first step.
Nothing.
So the prof does the first step.
And the next step. And the next.
What's left is a more or less simple formula where you had to insert numbers and add/subtract/multiply/divide. Somehow the kid is able to do that, but stops when he gets "400 divided by 200".
The prof asks him how much is 400/200, so the student reaches for his calculator, but the prof says that he has to divide it by himself.
Nothing.
So the prof says that he has to leave and do something, but when he gets back in 15 minutes the problem should be finished. He leaves the room and waits in the hall. When he comes back, the kid is still staring at the "400/200", he didn't even use his calculator even though the prof wasn't there.
So the prof sits down and starts to explain:
- "How much is 4 divided by 2?"
- "2"
- "Good. How much is 40/2?"
Short delay
- "20"
- "Good. How much is 400/2?"
Delay
- "200"
- "Very good. So how much is 400/200?"
Very long delay You can see that the boy is trying to think. Suddenly, his eyes open wide, his face lights up, a huge smile appears from ear to ear, his energy-saver lightbulb finally turns on.
- "I get it, this is a trick question:
You're not allowed to divide by zero, and there are two zeros in the number you are dividing by!!"
The prof almost fainted. Then he almost killed him. But somehow he got a hold of himself and yelled at the kid to get out of his sight.
The student leaves, the prof calms down, fills out some papers and leaves. When he steps into the hallway he sees the student siting on the floor with a calculator in his hand and a very puzzled expression on his face.