Re: Test question, normal assumptions

[Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM>]

On Wed, 04 Jun 2003 09:16:12 -0500 James Mackey <jmackey@HARDING.EDU>
writes:
> Herbert H Gottlieb wrote:
>
> > What is the answer to the following question
> > that appears on a recent examination in New York State.
> >
> > A plastic cup containing a wood block is floating in a pan of
> water.
> > If another wood block is placed in the cup, what will happen to the
> level of the water in the pan?
> > A. It will go down
> > B. It will go up
> > c. It will stay the same
-----------------------------------------------
> Water level rises, making normal assumptions.
> James Mackey
----------------------------------------------

*** But another "normal assumption" would be that the added
weight of the second block would cause the cup to sink
below the surface. Try again??

Herb Gottlieb from New York City
(Where our "normal assumptions" are not always normal)