Great Interview Question

[gamehead200]

I got asked this in an interview once so that the interviewer could understand my thought process. The answer is actually extremely simple, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the right answer at the time.

Here goes...

You're stranded on an island made entirely of solid concrete (comment: unlikely, but OK) in the middle of the ocean. The island has nothing but trees on it. There is a school of sharks swimming around the island. While you're on one side of the island, a lightning bolt strikes a tree on the opposite side of the island and the tree catches fire. Slowly, but surely, the fire spreads from one tree to the next and makes its way towards you.

How do you survive?

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

oh, have some mercy on those too lazy (and/or impatient) to guess

[cluberti]

What kind of sharks? Not all will attack and eat an unharmed man in the ocean . This is a good question, and I've used it along with a few others to "watch" someone's cognitive skills in motion.

[gamehead200]

What kind of sharks? Not all will attack and eat an unharmed man in the ocean . This is a good question, and I've used it along with a few others to "watch" someone's cognitive skills in motion.

Sharks that kill you, obviously.

[DigeratiPrime]

You have a solid concrete island, with trees growing on it? My first guess was you wake up from this silly nightmare?

[MrJinje]

That's a good question, but not as good as this one.

What kind of bear is best...

But seriously, I would turn that question on the interviewer and have them explain exactly why I should work for them instead of rejecting their job offer and taking a position with their competitor.

[BadzMaru]

you cut all the trees from your end before the fire reaches them. That away the fire will not spread any further...

[gamehead200]

you cut all the trees from your end before the fire reaches them. That away the fire will not spread any further...

With what tools?

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Digerati has a good point.

Also, islands are usually round, so walking on the shore/ends would mean you evade the fire and reach the other side where everything has already burned down.

[gamehead200]

Digerati has a good point.

Also, islands are usually round, so walking on the shore/ends would mean you evade the fire and reach the other side where everything has already burned down.

You risk getting eaten by one of the sharks. (Yes, I know the shore is shallow, but this isn't the answer. Good thinking, though).

[GrofLuigi]

In this story's logic, are the following true:

1. Are the treetops high? (do branches start growing near to the ground concrete?) - you could pass below

2. Does the lightning strike out of the blue, or does it start raining (as it usually does)? - obvious NOP

GL

Edited April 9, 2010 by GrofLuigi

[Guest]

You're stranded on an island made entirely of solid concrete (comment: unlikely, but OK) in the middle of the ocean. The island has nothing but trees on it.

If these two sentences are correct then I am not human. I am an Ent and I'm not alone. We'll extinguish the flames in the water, since the sharks do not pose a threat to me and my kind.

[bphlpt]

Break off a branch to use as protection from the sharks, jump in the water to get totally wet as protection from the fire, get out of the water, run through the fire to arrive safely on the side that's already been burned.

Cheers and Regards

[Guest]

Good answer.

Next question:

• Where would you find fresh water and food on your concrete island? You can't drink saltwater and you have no weapons to kill the sharks for food.

Perhaps it would be better to die quickly through obvious means than slowly due to thirst and starvation.

Edited April 9, 2010 by 5eraph

[jaclaz]

... but this isn't the answer. Good thinking, though)

Here we have a cognitive problem.

An answer can be either valid or not, but NOT necessarily the one you know.

The teacher in second grade asks to one pupil:

On a tree there are 13 starlings.

A hunter shoots down with one shot 5 of them.

How many starlings remain on the tree?

The pupil:

None, as all the others will fly away, scared by the sound of the shot.

The teacher:

That is not the right answer, but I like your way of thinking.

Then the pupil asks the (female) teacher .....

jaclaz