From: utzoo!decvax!duke!harpo!uwvax!solomon
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: Zero G scale
Article-I.D.: uwvax.401
Posted: Sat May 29 09:16:21 1982
Received: Sun May 30 02:28:41 1982


The zero-G scale problem reminds me of my favorite puzzle along these lines.
Practically anybody who's taken a high school physics course has seen
a problem along the lines of "how do you use a barometer to measure
the height of a building".  The usual answer is boring.  The interesting
puzzle is to think of IMMAGINATIVE answers.  Some examples:
	Climb up the side of the builing, using the barometer like a ruler
	Throw the barometer off the roof and time how long it takes
		to hit the pavement
I'll let you think of more.  Here's my favorite:
	Go to the building manager and say, "I'll give you this dandy
		barometer if you'll tell me how tall your building is."

-Marvin Solomon
(...!harpo!uwvax!solomon or solomon@uwisc)