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This blog is intended to help people prepare for the job interviews and improve their analytical skills. We have posted difficult datastructures and algorithm questions and puzzles. Interview experiences section is for the people to post their interview experiences.Views expressed here are of their personal and the blog author doesn't take any responsibility for the same.

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Monday, February 2, 2009

Why are manhole covers round rather than square?

This Question was most interviewer's favourite question for years. I hardly find anyone asking it these days. Answer to this question involves some simple maths with commonsense.
All of us know that circle has same diameter in all directions so no matter how you hold it cover cannot be pushed into a circular manhole. Whereas, if it is square, cover can be pushed into manhole via diameter by holding it on edge. Another aspect is, if cover is circular it is easier to roll it so for shorter distances transportation is easy.

2 comments:

  1. TomaszAugust 6, 2010 at 5:21 AM

    it was a question originally asked by microsoft interviewers and it's primary purpose was to surprise the guy who applied. you don't get to hear this question often, because everybody knows a large number of answers.

    so back to the idea - it is up to interviewer to invent new questions (if you want to check up creativity).. say - what is the number of all possible configurations of rubic cube? how can you connent 9 dots (organized 3x3) with 3 connected lines? and such.. just ask something that makes your guy think 'out of the box'

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2013 at 1:30 AM

    Good post! not a very useful interview question, but something I think any interviewee should know before having an interview:


    Round manhole covers

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