Real World Problems

When the public library in Bettendorf, Iowa, was ready to move from its old location to a new building, the head librarian wanted to transfer all the books to their new location as cheaply as possible. What ingenious method did the librarian come up with ?

Did you hear the one about the traveling salesperson. Her car overheated in a rural area, and she needed water. Up ahead was a well but it was guarded by a dog tethered to a tree. How did the salesperson get water from the well without being attacked by the dog ?

Did you hear the one about the absent-minded commuter? It seems he always prepared his next day’s lunch the night before and then placed it in the refrigerator, all set for the next day. However, most of the time the commuter would drive off and forget the carefully prepared lunch. After years of his forgetfulness, the commuter finally figured out a foolproof way to remember his lunch. What was his method ?

A high school English teacher wanted to expand her student’s vocabularies and at the same time get them in the habit of reading the newspaper. She gave them a list of 15 difficult words and promised an A for the term to any student who found all the words in a single issue of the local paper. In what unexpected way did the students meet the challenge ?