We are in the a new unit of study, Delving Deeper: Thinking Logically. It involves using a variety of strategies to solve brain teasers and mysteries. In order to practice problem solving, I will be posting some brain teasers. The first one is posted below. If you solve the problem, post your solution in the comment section below.
Happy Mind Teaser Monday!
There are three switches downstairs. Each corresponds to one of the three light bulbs in the attic. You can turn the switches on and off and leave them in any position.
How would you identify which switch corresponds to which light bulb, if you are only allowed one trip upstairs?
You use 2 cameras in the other two rooms
You connect the two cameras to your laptop
Then you switch the switches
You looked at the laptop and see which switch is which
What a great idea! Technology has not become so much a part of my mindset that I ever considered an idea like this. Brilliant! I love how there is an old-fashioned and a high tech way to solve the problem.
Great idea Kassie! I never thought of that either. Glad you are thinking logically and using your resources!
Hello Making Waves students and Mrs. Emerick,
Thanks for this opportunity to work on some problem solving, a very important skill in life!
To see which switch corresponds to which bulb with only one trip to the attic, I would turn on two switches and wait about 10 minutes. Then I would turn one switch off. I would go to the attic and feel the two bulbs that are off. One of them would be warm. That bulb would correspond to the switch I turned off. The cold bulb would correspond to the switch I never turned on. The bulb that is on corresponds to the switch that is on.
How did I do?
~Mrs. Donofrio
Perfect answer! This will become a weekly part of the blog! Challenging the mind is so important!
Hello Making Waves students,
I am looking at your Maya Angelou BrainPOP. My class read an excerpt from her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The excerpt was called “Mrs. Flowers”, and it was about Maya’s childhood neighbor, Mrs. Flowers. It was a moving story with excellent description/imagery using all the senses. Have you read any stories written by Maya Angelou?
~Mrs. Donofrio
I think I know the answer. You go up stairs and turn on the first light for a couple minutes, then turn it off. Then, you turn on the second light. You go downstairs and look in the room with the lights, and one is on and two are off. All you have to do is feel the two that are off, and whichever one is hot is the one that is connected to the first switch. Thank you for the fun brainteaser! -DIA