Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

I was at a job interview today, and the guy asked me how many ping pong balls would fit into a 747.


I just kinda ball-parked, 800,000.

He just nodded, but asked another question, never gave me the answer. Now I am bugged, so does anyone know how this could be calculated, or if this is a standard job interview question?

Help!

I would be willing to ship some monies (enough to buy a sandwich) to anyone who can answer it.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

800,001

monies plz

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

The correct answer is a shitton.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

eleventy billions
ship sandwich

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

16,200,000

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_p...s_fit_in_a_747

ship monies

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Let's just say you didn't get the job.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Need your stars name sir.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Google FTW. You were a bit off.

edit: [censored] i am slow

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

just gotta ask, what job were you interviewing for?

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Fold pre flop.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

about 16 million balls

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

EricL88

anyone else impressed can send monies too, imo

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
just gotta ask, what job were you interviewing for?

[/ QUOTE ]


Sales manager position.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

They were probably looking for an answer like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_problem

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
just gotta ask, what job were you interviewing for?

[/ QUOTE ]


Sales manager position.

[/ QUOTE ]
looool

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

http://images.dr3vil.com/files2/default/28907564029.gif

Um details on this one?

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Your answer shows you really don't know how big a 747 is and how small a ping pong ball is.. common sense would say quite a few million. 800k would probably only cover the floor.

Now you know for your next job interview, better luck next time.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

This was a test of your emergency bullsht system. If this had been an actual sale, you would have passed with flying colors b/c nobody but hard up HR nerds and math geeks give a [censored] about how many ping pong balls would fit in a [censored] 747.

Or maybe Sklansky. If you answered the question without drooling all over yuorself or pulling out a HP pocket calculator 9000 you win LDO.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

actually it would only take like 2-3k balls to cover the floor

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

2k balls wouldn't even cover the floor in my living room

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

veiled brag

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
Google FTW. You were a bit off.

edit: [censored] i am slow

[/ QUOTE ]

The person who wrote that should realize that an airplane is best modeled as a cylinder and that it's much easier to estimate the length and diameter of a plane than to arbitrarily guess at the ratio of empty space to space taken up by the passengers.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Google FTW. You were a bit off.

edit: [censored] i am slow

[/ QUOTE ]

The person who wrote that should realize that an airplane is best modeled as a cylinder and that it's much easier to estimate the length and diameter of a plane than to arbitrarily guess at the ratio of empty space to space taken up by the passengers.

[/ QUOTE ]
also 3 in^3 per ball? isnt that like a softball

EDIT: well nm i guess that means it's 1.5in diameter thats prob a little high but not so bad

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

nice guess only off by 7mil

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
They were definitely looking for an answer like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_problem

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

You realize that they ask these questions not to see IF you can get the right answer, but how you go about getting it.

I'm pretty sure "I posted on an off topic message board on a poker forum right next to the SEXYTIME CONTAINMENT thread" is not the answer they desire.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
You realize that they ask these questions not to see IF you can get the right answer, but how you go about getting it.

I'm pretty sure "I posted on an off topic message board on a poker forum right next to the SEXYTIME CONTAINMENT thread" is not the answer they desire.

[/ QUOTE ]

FTW

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

first time i cracked up on a Dids post... i'd been thinking this this whole thread and am so glad to see it already here

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

I 'm guessing he had a prop bet with someone and was digging for answers cause he can't come up with one himself.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
You realize that they ask these questions not to see IF you can get the right answer, but how you go about getting it.



[/ QUOTE ]

How would the interviewer know this? He asked no follow up questions.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

Ask if you can phone a friend and call MythBusters

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
This was a test of your emergency bullsht system. If this had been an actual sale, you would have passed with flying colors b/c nobody but hard up HR nerds and math geeks give a [censored] about how many ping pong balls would fit in a [censored] 747.

Or maybe Sklansky. If you answered the question without drooling all over yuorself or pulling out a HP pocket calculator 9000 you win LDO.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excuse me, I speak for the math geeks and we really don't give a [censored] either.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You realize that they ask these questions not to see IF you can get the right answer, but how you go about getting it.



[/ QUOTE ]

How would the interviewer know this? He asked no follow up questions.

[/ QUOTE ]

the person being interviewed is supposed to ask the questions, i.e. what are the dimensions of a 747? he is not expected to randomly know the volume of a 747's interior

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

wow, no, the person is not expected to "ask the dimensions of a 747."

the script goes like this:

1: ok, so let's do a few thought problems, ready?
2: shoot
1: how many ping pong balls would fit interior to a 747?
2: well, i'd estimate the size of a ping pong ball like this
then i'd estimate the volume of a 747 (cabin) like this
then i'd either make some adjustments or not
then i'd divide
then i'd get this number
1: great, next question ...

if you just squint for a second and plunk out a number, you're not showing the thought process, and the thought process is what they are looking for. they aren't looking for you to figure out what the important information is and then ask them for it, they're looking for common sense, reasoning, estimation, intelligence. further, if you just throw out a number, you're just not getting the job. nor is the guy who asks for the dimensions of a 747.

lol strategy in b4l

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
http://images.dr3vil.com/files2/default/28907564029.gif

Um details on this one?

[/ QUOTE ]


[x] didn't receive adequate appreciation.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

What if i step on the ping pong balls before putting them in the 747.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
16,200,000

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_p...s_fit_in_a_747

ship monies

[/ QUOTE ]
Wrong imo.

The empty weight of a Boeing 747 varies between 162,400 and 186,000 kilos. For the purposes of this question, we have to calculate the average weight of an unladen swal... I mean, uh, empty Boeing 747. The average weight, taking into account the 6 different boeing 747 models, is (162,400 + 174,000 + 178,100 + 178,756 + 164,382 + 185,972) / 6 = 173,935. Next step is to figure out the weight capacity of the average boeing 747: (333,390 + 377,842 + 377,842 + 396,890 + 412,775 + 439,985) / 6 = 389,787. Note that this is the maximum take off weight, but for the purposes of this question, we have to assume that the crazy mofo that wants to load a boeing with ping pong balls actually wants to fly the little [censored] somewhere.

So, the maximum weight capacity on average is 389,787 - 173,935 = 215,852.

The international rules of ping pong specify that the game is played with a light 2.7 gram ball. So we'll use that figure in our calculations. Obviously the volume of the ball in relation to its weight plays a role here, but we're gonna be cheap bastards and squeeze the [censored] out of those little bastards so we can load up our plane with as many of them as possible.

So, we have 215,852 kilos of free space and a ball weighs 2,7 grams. One kilo equals 1000 grams. 1000 / 2,7 = 370,73. 215,285 * 370,73 = 79,735,105 which is the correct answer to the question.

Pretty easy imo.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

All I can think about while reading this thread is a woman shooting a ping pong ball out of her vagina.

Apparently i'm more deviant than the average BBV4ler, I just fake being a respectable gentleman.

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
then i'd estimate the volume of a 747 (cabin) like this

[/ QUOTE ]

please tell me a hypothetical "this" that will make me feel stupid about my obvious lack of 747 common knowledge, no matter what process i see myself using to estimate the size of a 747, the fact that i would be starting out with some random guess, be it height/length/width or passenger capacity or whatever, i can't see how im coming up with a remotely accurate estimate without more information

Re: Math problem, monies to solver $$$
 

[ QUOTE ]
just gotta ask, what job were you interviewing for?

[/ QUOTE ]

OP was applying to be carnie that guesses the weight of various people. He will obviously not be getting this job, LDO.