The Final Question
The Amazoogle Skype interview is down to it’s last remaining question. If Elmo can answer the question correctly, he gets the job!
The interesting thing about this interview question of “How many golf balls does it take to fill a 747 airliner?” is that it is a REAL interview question that Google is supposed to have used and 22,870,000 golf balls is the generally accepted answer. At least that is the answer that appears at the top of the list on the internet. At its core, it’s a pretty straight forward math problem: Interior volume of a 747 / Golf Ball volume. The hard part of the question is that neither the interior volume of the 747 (which model??) nor the volume of the golf ball will be provided by the person asking the question. The interviewee will be expected to guesstimate these values (No fair Googling during a Google interview!). Of course, the interviewer might not be looking for the straight forward answer and may be expecting an “out-of-the-box” kind of answer. In other words, you could fit a lot more golf balls in those fuel tanks!
In my book, “How many golf balls does it take to fill a 747 airliner?” is right up there with “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” and “What is the unladen airspeed velocity of a swallow?”
One other thing, the gremlins will take a little break from this story and the next comic will be an Easter comic and will appear, strangely enough, on Easter Sunday. The Amazoogle tale will then continue next Wednesday, April 4th.
14 thoughts on “Pesky Gremlins Comic 331 – The Final Question”
David Hurley
Two right answers!
H Stacy
That is assuming that 22,870,000 is correct. I didn’t check the Internet’s math.
Bret Juliano
Are we talking about an African or European swallow?
H Stacy
What, I don’t know that… (unknown force flings me into a bottomless chasm).
Binky
Not to mention the fact that there are a few variations and configurations of the 747, and for passenger versions you would have to deduct seat volumes, washrooms, kitchens, etc.
H Stacy
As usual, you are correct, Binky/Peter! I think that there are 6 major 747 variants, not counting the military models. This particular calculation was based on the Boeing 747-400, which is the most common model now in service. Furthermore, there are something like 7 sub-models of the 747-400. Then there is the 747 Dreamlifter. Which can fit another airliner inside its huge cargo space. Just for reference a passenger 747-400 has a passenger+cargo capacity of 1035 cubic meters while a 747 Dreamlifter has a capacity of 1840 cubic meters. Or in Google interview parlance, 40,707,965 golf balls. Take that Stu! 🙂
Binky
I didn’t realize there was one version which was so much bigger.
H Stacy
As someone who makes things up all the time, I realize that I might not be considered a reliable source, but the Boeing 747 Dreamlifter is real. Here is a picture:
Binky
Not that I didn’t believe you! But I think that Dreamlifter swallowed its pillow.
RG2Cents
And to ask the purpose of this question is along the lines of asking what the answer has to do with the price of tea in China. 😉
H Stacy
I assume that the question is to assess a job candidates problems solving skills or perhaps to just watch someone’s head explode.
RG2Cents
😆
Jerry Keslensky
Stu as in stupid ! That boy is so dumb, he thinks antiperspirant is a right wing hate group. 🙂
H Stacy
YES! the character is named Stu because it is short for Stupid.