Last year, a good friend of mind suggested I should take up the position as a private tutor in maths, giving tuition to students studying in Singapore. You can always reap a handsome return in this kind of endeavour. However, my friend liked to inflict on me some of the maths questions which were presented by his daughter in Sec One. He told me that he was literally thrown off from his chair after seeing the question.
OK, this was the maths question:
Matt, who is often late for appointments, walks up a moving escalator in the MRT station one step at a time. When he moves quickly at the rate of 2 steps per second, he reaches the top after taking 24 steps. When he is tired, he climbs at the rate of 1 step per second and reaches the top after taking 15 steps. How long would Matt take to reach the top if, on a rare day, he just stood on the escalator?
This question is not difficult if you apply algebra. The catch is that you are not allowed to use algebra in solving this question. Again, wishful thinking is the way to go.
How about this question given by a US Professor .
A census-taker knocks on a door, and asks the woman inside how many children she has and how old they are.
"I have three daughters, their ages are whole numbers, and the product of the ages is 36," says the mother.
"That's not enough information," responds the census-taker.
"I'd tell you the sum of their ages, but you'd still be stumped."
"I wish you'd tell me something more."
"Okay, my oldest daughter Annie likes dogs."
The US Professor suggests that you should get your hands dirty in doing this kind of analysis.
