20 Craziest Job Interview Questions and the Right Answers

MoneyWatch ^ | May 30, 2011 | Lynn O'Shaughnessy

[RedQuill]

Light bulbs—i actually aced this one in an interview.
You go feel for the warm bulb after turning off the light.
I got the job. Company went under. :0)

[Dead Corpse]

Seems a bit like cheating. ;-)

[RedQuill]

light bulbs...again:
Actually your question is a variant of the one i got. Looks like in yours you have to leave one on a long time, one a shorter time, and then go feel for the hot, warm and cold bulbs.

[jimtorr]

Actually, the question is illogical. If the balls are identical, then they all weigh the same.

[SkyDancer]

If your potential boss asks you “how much is 2 plus 2” you answer “whatever you want it to be” ... you WILL get the job.

[Hoodat]

What is the smallest number divisible by 225 that consists of all 1’s and 0’s?

If by "smallest number" you mean smallest integer, then the answer is 25. If "smallest number" includes negative numbers, then there is no answer.

25 / 225 = 0.111111111111111111111.......

[ShadowAce]

I think you misread the question...

[ctdonath2]

See #29.

[wideminded]

The Google question: They want to see if you will try a combinatorial approach or quickly use induction to prove it is a Fibonacci series. Where’s my job?

[Spirochete]

All of the eight balls appear identical in size and they all weigh the same... except one. And that one ball is slightly heavier than the other 7.

Now, using a balance scale, a scale that has no numbers indicating weight, consisting of two plates weighing one side against the other, how many times do you have to use the scale to find out which of the eight balls is the heavier one?

The fewest attempts happens when you weigh the heavier ball first. You first weigh one of the lighter balls against it, and a second to see the same scale movement, confirming that it's the heaviest.

My answer is two.

[bigjoesaddle]

Congrats RetSigman, you are this weeks...

[bigjoesaddle]

(Yes, I spelled your name wrong)

[mfish13]

Two. Put three and three. If equal in balance, then it is one of the other two, one weighing. If it is one of the groups of three, then put one and one. That will give you the answer.

[mfish13]

Two. Put three and three. If equal in balance, then it is one of the other two, one weighing. If it is one of the groups of three, then put one and one. That will give you the answer.

[Brett66]

How about this question for all members of congress:

You have 2 trillion in revenue, but spend 1.7 trillion more than that. How long before you get kicked out of congress?

[jurroppi1]

Sure that makes the question clearer if that was the intent of the question, but the question wasn’t asked that way.

[IYAS9YAS]

Under these circumstances, how can yuo find out which switch goes to which bulb?

Easy. Leave one off, leave one on, and turn the other on for a minute, then off. Then go upstairs. The on will be obvious, and the two that are off can be determined by which bulb is cold, and which is warm to the touch.

[jurroppi1]

yeah, you turn two on, leave one off. wait 5 minutes, turn another one off, then go upstairs and look for the two unlit rooms. feel the bulb, if it is still warm you know that was the one you left on for 5 minutes, if cold, then you know it was the one you left off, the one that is illuminated is quite obvious (helps to have light when you go upstairs to check).

[ScreamingFist]

It’s an invalid question. If the balls are said to be “identical” then one cannot be heavier than all the rest.

It took 70 posts before the correct answer. Well done Bird!

[Revolting cat!]

That answer won’t get him the job. We don’t want no smart alecks here!