You probably already know this, but the article in question is "Angels on a Pin," which was originally published in Saturday Review, Dec. 21, 1968, and reprinted (among other places, no doubt) in David Skwire's Writing with a Thesis. Norman Stahl wrote: > >From: Barak Rosenshine <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: Not a true story > >A not true story: > > > >Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give a > >student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the student > >claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student agreed to an > >impartial arbiter, and I was selected. > > > >I read the examination question: > >"SHOW HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE > >HEIGHT OF A TALL BUILDING WITH THE AID OF A BAROMETER." > > > >The student had answered, "Take the barometer to the top of the building, > >attach a long rope to it, lower it to the street, and then bring the rope > >up, measuring the length of the rope. The length of the rope is the height > >of the building." > > > >The student really had a strong case for full credit since he had really > >answered the question completely and correctly! On the other hand, if full > >credit were given, it could well contribute to a high grade in his physics > >course and to certify competence in physics, but the answer did not confirm > >this. > > > >I suggested that the student have another try. I gave the student six > >minutes to answer the question with the warning that the answer should show > >some knowledge of physics. At the end of five minutes, he had not written > >anything. I asked if he wished to give up, but he said he had many answers > >to this problem; he was just thinking of the best one. > > > >I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to please go on. In the > >next minute, he dashed off his answer which read: "Take the barometer to the > >top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer, > >timing its fall with a stopwatch. Then, using the formula x=0.5*a*t^^2, > >calculate the height of the building." > > > >At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He conceded, and > >gave the student almost full credit. While leaving my colleague's office, I > >recalled that the student had said that he had other answers to the problem, > >so I asked him what they were. > > > >"Well," said the student, "there are many ways of getting the height of a > >tall building with the aid of a barometer. For example, you could take the > >barometer out on a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the > >length of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building, and by > >the use of simple proportion, determine the height of the building." > >"Fine," I said, "and others?" > > > >"Yes," said the student, "there is a very basic measurement method you will > >like. In this method, you take the barometer and begin to walk up the > >stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer > >along the wall. You then count the number of marks, and this will give you > >the height of the building in barometer units." > > > >"A very direct method." > > > >"Of course. If you want a more sophisticated method, you can tie the > >barometer to the end of a string, swing it as a pendulum, and determine the > >value of g at the street level and at the top of the building. > > From the difference between the two values of g, the height of the building, > >in principle, can be calculated." > > > >"On this same tact, you could take the barometer to the top of the building, > >attach a long rope to it, lower it to just above the street, and then swing > >it as a pendulum. You could then calculate the height of the building by the > >period of the precession". > > > >"Finally," he concluded, "there are many other ways of solving the problem. > >Probably the best," he said, "is to take the barometer to the basement and > >knock on the superintendent's door. When the superintendent answers, you > >speak to him as follows: > > > >'Mr. Superintendent, here is a fine barometer. If you will tell me the > >height of the building, I will give you this barometer." > > > >At this point, I asked the student if he really did not know the > >conventional answer to this question. He admitted that he did, but said that > >he was fed up with high school and college instructors trying to teach him > >how to think. > > > > ********************************* > Norman A. Stahl, Acting Chair > Department of Literacy, > Intercultural and Language Education > GH 223c > Northern Illinois University > DeKalb, IL 60115 > > Telephone: > (815) 753-9032 {office} > (815) 753-8563 (FAX) > > Email: [log in to unmask]