Korean Job Discussion Forums

[flotsam]

[Moldy Rutabaga]

To me, the manhole problem was simple and the lightbulb one difficult.

A manhole is round because hoses and pipes are round, and people are closer to being round, and a square opening is a waste of space if the metal is so expensive. As well, if the manhole warps, a round piece of metal won't have a jagged edge sticking out.

Ken:>

[matthews_world]

Anyway, we need some more.

[poker player]

OK Notwithstanding that some of you used the internet which isn't possible inan interview, most of you were on the right track.
Actually a good part of the process is the interviewer observing how the candidate approaches the question including question they ask to clarify and the logic used to try to answer the question. The main point is that every question has an answer.
Here are the classic responses, in order of their popularity:
1.
Circular covers are the only geometric shape that won�t fall into the manhole shaft they cover.

2.
Circular manhole covers don�t need to be aligned or oriented with the manhole shaft.

3.
Circular manhole covers make it easier to lift, carry, or even roll the heavy items.

4.
The manufacture of circular manhole covers is cheaper because it requires less metal than the manufacture of covers of any other shape.


HERE's THE NEXT SIMPLE ONE

ELIMINATE A STATE
This is one of the most popular questions still asked at Microsoft. In each case the interviewer seems to have a different �correct� answer in mind.
If you had to eliminate one of the 50 U.S. states, which one would you select? Be prepared to give specific reasons why you chose the state you did.
Don�t get hung up looking for a �correct� answer.� There is no correct answer, unless you�re applying for a job with Microsoft, in which case Washington State is definitely a nonstarter. The best course is to reframe the question in some compelling way. Another idea: Don�t start with the name of a state, but build some suspense by walking the interviewer through your logic and seeing where you end up together. Humor always helps. There are dozens of creative answers. I'll give you the most popular 3 once you've had a run at it.


MORE DIFFICULT

Why do mirrors reverse right and left but not up and down?

[flotsam]

[matthews_world]

[Nowhere Man]

Well, given that manhole covers are round...

...and we don't want any of our states to slip down some hidden volcanic vent...

...especially given the weight of those mountains on top of it...

I'd have to eliminate Colorado, our squarest state.

My prediction for the 3 most popular: Alaska and Hawaii (for their non-contiguousness) and California (for attitudes toward it in the Pacific Northeast, and it's gonna break off).

[poker player]

Here are the quotes from the book that impressed interviewers the most