Ok, I came up with this brain tickler, or whatever you call it. It's a little bit different than the others, because it's more about the process of answering than it is about the actual answer. And I'm going to blatantly break the rule about "no answers in the post"... because I'm lazy. So don't read the whole way if you don't want to find out.
OK, here goes: If you're launching a satellite into space on a rocket, what direction do you launch it in? The next paragraph is a hint.
The first part of the problem is figuring out what kind of answer is expected, but whoever is asking can help out the askee at this point by specifying that, in addition to "up", a compass direction is expected (North, South, East, West).
Don't read beyond this point if you don't want the answer: if you just think about it, you can figure it out....
OK, the first partial credit is assigned if people realize that the Earth's rotation can give a boost to the rocket (that is, if you launch in the direction in which the Earth is already rotating, you don't have to fight the rotational speed). The second bit of partial credit is assigned if the person says, thinking alound, "Okay... well, the Sun rises in the East..." (Surprisingly, most people do say this). Then, finally, full credit is given if they correctly deduce from this that the Earth is rotating towards the east, and a rocket should then be launched up and to the east (and at the equator, to get the biggest boost).
Incidentally, this also explains the location of Cape Canaveral and other such establishments: it's near the equator, and there's a large body of water to the east (so the parts that fall to the ground - hopefully not everything! - land in water).
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Ok, I came up with this brain tickler, or whatever you call it. It's a little bit different than the others, because it's more about the process of answering than it is about the actual answer. And I'm going to blatantly break the rule about "no answers in the post"... because I'm lazy. So don't read the whole way if you don't want to find out.
...
OK, here goes: If you're launching a satellite into space on a rocket, what direction do you launch it in? The next paragraph is a hint.
The first part of the problem is figuring out what kind of answer is expected, but whoever is asking can help out the askee at this point by specifying that, in addition to "up", a compass direction is expected (North, South, East, West).
Don't read beyond this point if you don't want the answer: if you just think about it, you can figure it out.
OK, the first partial credit is assigned if people realize that the Earth's rotation can give a boost to the rocket (that is, if you launch in the direction in which the Earth is already rotating, you don't have to fight the rotational speed). The second bit of partial credit is assigned if the person says, thinking alound, "Okay... well, the Sun rises in the East..." (Surprisingly, most people do say this). Then, finally, full credit is given if they correctly deduce from this that the Earth is rotating towards the east, and a rocket should then be launched up and to the east (and at the equator, to get the biggest boost).
Incidentally, this also explains the location of Cape Canaveral and other such establishments: it's near the equator, and there's a large body of water to the east (so the parts that fall to the ground - hopefully not everything! - land in water).
Does anyone else find this a fun puzzle?