Thomas Edison had a unique way of hiring engineers. He’d give the applicant a light bulb and ask, “How much water will it hold?” There were two ways to find the answer. The first choice was to use gauges to measure all the angles of the bulb. Then with the instruments in hand, the engineer could calculate the surface area. This approach could take as long as twenty minutes. The second choice was to fill the bulb with water, then pour the contents into a measuring cup. Total elapsed time: about one minute. Engineers who took the first route, and performed their measurements by book, were politely thanked for their time and sent on their way. Those who took the second route would be hired.
________
The Equipper (Oceola Grace Ministries, Jan. 1996), p. 2.
*
[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #2418]