My friend Adam sent this to me. How very true.
It might not be entirely accurate or perhaps just a legend, but it’s a
great story about learning how to think differently.
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Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give
a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the
student claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student agreed
to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected.I read the examination
question: “SHOW HOW IT IS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE HEIGHT OF A TALL
BUILDING WITH THE AID OF A BAROMETER.” The student had answered, “Take
the barometer to the top of the building, attach a long rope to
it,lower it to the street, and then bring it up, measuring the length
of the rope. The length of the rope is the height of the building.”
The student really had a strong case for full credit since he had
really answered the question completely and correctly! On the other
hand, if full credit were given, it could well contribute to a high
grade in his physics course and to certify competence in physics, but
the answer did not confirm this. I suggested that the student have
another try. I gave the student six minutes to answer the question
with the warning that the answer should show some knowledge of
physics. At the end of five minutes, he had not written anything. I
asked if he wished to give up, but he said he had many answers to this
problem; he was just thinking of the best one. I excused myself for
interrupting him and asked him to please go on.
