I remembered vividly the day I was asked the question: 1 + 1. Well, I wasn't referring to when I began to be exposed to elementary or rudimentary arithmetics. I was asked the question in the most unpredictable circumstance and I was obviously shocked at such a ridiculous question. I had been invited to a job interview, involving mostly graduates. Of course, you can image the level of readiness that must have been put into it. I was then shocked to the marrows when the question: 1+ 1was thrown at me. Is this a joke or what? I seem to ask myself. But the seriousness dawned on me when everyone who had stepped out of the 'hot room' discussed the ridiculousness of the question asked them. The result was that they laughed hysterically as they discussed this uttermost shock of theirs.
Then it was my turn. I walked in and was asked in simple elementary school teacher's tone the same question: 1 + 1 = ? I almost said the obvious answer but decided to reason it out. Before my mouth would run faster than my brain. I reasoned they couldn't have been asking me such a question without more to it. My response came almost immediately! "1 + 1?" "Yes," responded the panel unanimously, as though I was wasting their time and mine. Growing impatient, I was asked the same question and I responded promptly, "You said 1 + 1?" Still at a loss, a thought struck me and I suddenly asked again "1 + 1?" In a rather apparent impatient tone, the only woman on the panel answered, "Yes!" and I quickly added, "In what base?" The reaction on the face of the lead panelist said it all. That was the response they wanted all along. Like someone given a new lease of life, I went on to say in base two, 1+1=10 but in other bases greater than base two, 1+1=2. Yours sincerely, I left the interview that day pleased with myself.
Inspired by an experience shared by a friend.
0 Comments