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Title: How would you answer this job interview question?
Source:
an interview
URL Source: [None]
Published: Sep 25, 2008
Author: some propellerhead
Post Date: 2008-09-25 01:05:33 by Tauzero
Keywords: None
Views: 257
Comments: 20
You and an opponent are going to play a turn-based game with quarters on a circular table. On each turn, you place one quarter on the table. Quarters may not overlap. You may assume the table is large enough to hold many quarters. Do you go first or second? Why?
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#1. To: Tauzero (#0)
White Cheddar Cheez-Its.
That's very creative. While we can't use you in our division, you might like marketing.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell
Maybe if the choice was only to refuse to play would I chose one of the options in the question. But even then I would try to lose if it made clear I was to base the choice on the desire to win. Which as you see the question just assumes I would base my choice of what to do on by stipulating that I was to have that as my goal. I never assume winning to be the most desirable thing. My strongest instinct is to not trust those proposing the game and to try to ruin it.
This is an interesting question because a main reason I support Obama in here is because there is a very very strong virtual community imperative to trust no candidate. If the forum actively supported one, the other or both main candidates, then and only them would I very likely posture like everyone in here is doing to support none of the above. It's just how I am and have always been.
I go now if you don't stop wasting my valuable time with silly questions.
God is always good!
Nakasen's Principle #4.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini no itsto trust no one in the one party duopoly if thatsthe reason you support zero bama then you need to support campiagn for and vote for bob barr http://s5.gladiatus.us/game/c.php?uid=77290
That neocon? I'd no sooner vote for him then Bush.
The only way to kick out the table to keep the best man from winning is to cancel the election and let both men running be hung out to dry while Bush stays in power. Because I am here to tell you, there is no way to look above the Frey by doing what McIdiot is doing. He is toast, and only leaving Bush in office past January 20th would keep him in a sort of stasis. Of course this would require a Martial law reality for the United States where people were rounded up to use as hostages to try to keep those not in the FEMA camps worried about the fate of those detained. And people would be deliberately killed to keep those being neutralized by imprisonment pacified convinced that they would die if they took part in any insurrection to try to make coup d’état work. And only those imprisoned would know the extent of the blood letting to not rile them anymore then necessary.
I don't play stupid games.
Good for you. There is a right answer though, and a right reason. There is also a less right, but not wrong answer, for a less right reason, if you ignore some information.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini Do you know this one? I didn't.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini I've never seen this question before, but when playing chess, I prefer to play defense so I'd go second.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
Aw c'mon. You didn't even try. Anyway, I think it's a fun question to see how people think. I got the right answer but not for the right reason, because I overlooked information.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini Spill the answer or I'll tell everybody about your Nelson Mandela shrine. ;-)
Whoever goes first will always win.
Not quite. I'll spill. The correct answer is to go first -- and to place your first quarter smack in the middle. The key (which I got) is parity -- will there, at the end of the game, be an odd or even number of quarters on the table? If the shape and/or size of the table can vary, then parity can depend on the sequence of moves. But, with a circular table -- or any other table with the symmetry element known as an inversion point -- you can force odd parity by placing your first quarter on the inversion point. Then, by symmetry, wherever your opponent moves, you are guaranteed to also have an available move in the mirror spot across the inversion point -- and this is where you should place quarters on subsequent turns to guarantee the win.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini That's what I meant. : ) Tengen is a Go opening that employs the same idea, though under different rules, with great success.
I think most puzzle questions are a waste of time; I much prefer situational ones that are lacking needed data. But then again, I've *done* both the Google and Microsoft interviews before....and I know what inhabits both of those campuses. I'll work elsewhere, thank you.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
Bayes is your friend.
“It seems fair to regard negroes as on the average inferior to white men.” -- Bertrand Russell “Race! It is a feeling, not a reality: ninety-five percent, at least, is a feeling." -- Benito Mussolini
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#2. To: X-15 (#1)
#3. To: Tauzero (#0)
(Edited)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#4. To: Tauzero (#0)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#5. To: Tauzero (#0)
(Edited)
Do you go first or second? Why?
#6. To: Ferret Mike (#3)
#7. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
I support Obama in here is because there is a very very strong virtual community imperative to trust no candidate
#8. To: freepatriot32 (#7)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#9. To: Tauzero (#6)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#10. To: Tauzero (#0)
#11. To: angle (#10)
#12. To: mirage (#0)
#13. To: Tauzero (#12)
#14. To: mirage (#13)
#15. To: Tauzero (#12)
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#16. To: Tauzero (#0)
#17. To: bluegrass, X-15 (#16)
(Edited)
Whoever goes first will always win.
#18. To: Tauzero (#17)
The correct answer is to go first -- and to place your first quarter smack in the middle.
#19. To: Tauzero (#14)
I think it's a fun question to see how people think.
#20. To: mirage (#19)
I much prefer situational ones that are lacking needed data.
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