Thanks to Jane Jackson for bringing this to my attention... Quite funny. [Last week the PHYSHARE listserv had a discussion on problems with NO information. Here's a post that'll make you laugh. - Jane] Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 From: Bruce Esser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Some mistakes to share...My attempts at assigning problems with no information. Problems with no information (Year 1 and Year 2 versions) Background: I returned to teaching after an 18 year absence. The school is an all girls school. Year 1 Problem 1: Determine the height of the flagpole on campus. Year 2 Problem 1: Using an indirect means determine the height of the flagpole on campus. Climbing the flagpole is not allowed. Climbing the flagpole in your uniform skirt after school is particularly inappropriate and will attract a crowd of young men from the nearby boys school. Using a "cherry picker" to lift yourself to the top of the flagpole is not allowed. Measuring the chain which lifts the flag to the top of the flagpole although very smart on your part is not allowed. Year 1 Problem 1a: (given at the same time as problem 1) Determine the height of the TV tower just north of the school. (We have 4 large TV towers on ground we lease to the TV stations). Year 2 Problem 1a: Determine the height of the TV tower just north of the school. You may not climb the fence surrounding the TV tower and climb the tower. Experience indicates that you will be noticed, the police will be called and I will be called upon to explain. (note to self: express all distances in meters to the principal... 40m up the tower is better than over 100 ft. to her). Do not call the local NBC affiliate and ask them how tall their tower is. They do not appreciate 100 phone calls in one night asking for the height of their tower. You are to determine the height using your own measurements. Do not climb the fence. If you ignore this directive and climb the fence just to get to the base of the tower to take measurements you should know that the vegetation inside the fence includes poison ivy. You may wish to measure outside the fence and parallel to the fence. Do not climb the fence in your uniform skirt as it may snag on the top of the fence and leave you skirtless. This may be particularly important if someone calls the local police as your friends climb the tower. Year 1 problem 2: I should have known better: (Marian has a flat roof and the main part of the building is a rectangle.) If the drains are plugged then the water will remain on the top of the roof. Estimate the total weight of water if all the roof drains were plugged and the water depth was 6 inches. Year 2 problem 2: Same scenario as above with the following caveats. Since the main building is a rectangle, measuring/estimating the surface area of any of the floors will yield the same result as if you were on the roof. Climbing out Mr. Wright's window, walking the ledge to get to the roof of the cafe and then using the ladder from the cafe roof to the school roof is not allowed. Climbing through the access port in the hall closet on the top floor is not allowed. If you climb on the roof in the evening hours, experience tells me that you will be noticed, the authorities will be called and I will have to explain. Taking a meter stick to the roof and measuring the perimeter is not required for this exercise. Do not go on the roof or disciplinary action will be taken. Year 1 problem N: Estimate the "heat loss" through your bedroom walls/ceiling during a typical Omaha winter. Only count those walls/ceilings which are exterior to your house/apartment. Year 2 problem N: Estimate the "heat loss" through your bedroom walls/ceiling during a typical Omaha winter. Only count those walls/ceilings which are exterior to your house/apartment. You may call the local Menards to ascertain insulation information. I have talked with their manager and he indicates that we should ask for "Sam". Calling other home improvement/lumberyards is not encouraged as they indicated last year that they were "busy" and not able to answer your questions. Sam will ask you how big your studs are. This is not an inappropriate question. Studs (in the building trades) are the framing members for a house. You will probably have either 2x4 studs or 2x6 studs. Measure the width of your walls, I suggest using a window as your guide. If you do not have knowledge of what type of insulation is used in your house assume that the walls are filled with typical fiberglass. You may think that taking off an electrical cover plate will provide you with access to your walls. Do not do this. Do not drill, cut, pound or otherwise make holes in your walls. Do not call OPPD and ask for an immediate energy audit. They were not amused when over 50 students called last year. You can find the average number of degree heating days for a typical Omaha winter on their website. Calling their "outage hotline" will not get you this information. -- This is the CPS Science Teacher List. To unsubscribe, send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://home.sprintmail.com/~mikelach/subscribe.html>. To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/science%40lists.csi.cps.k12.il.us/>
