Post:
You have three switches in one room and a single light bulb in another room. You are allowed to visit the room with the light bulb only once. How do you figure out which switch controls the bulb? Write your answer in the comments before looking at other answers.
Comment:
If this were an interview question, the correct response would be "Do you have any relevant questions for me? Because have a long list of things that more deserving of my precious time than to think about this!
The answer isn’t intuitive anymore now that lightbulbs don’t always get hot 🥲
It wasn’t intuitive before, either, without making an absolute ton of horrible assumptions.
Anyone who doesn’t explore the assumptions should probably fail that particular interview question.
I’ll be honest, a lot of those are pretty stupid
Obviously the wires are connected
Obviously one switch controls the light
Obviously the lights start off
In a thought experiment you can magically reach the lightbulb if you want
Obviously you cannot bring a friend
Obviously you cannot see the light from the switch
Obviously you return to the switches
lol
Every time you say “obviously” to an assumption, someone else gets the job.
If you’re hung up on the basic assumptions necessary to make the thought experiment work as clearly intended then you won’t get it neither
Basic assumptions are why the Challenger exploded. Hopefully nobody ever hires you as an engineer.