The task with 100 glasses of water for the best IT job confused many: The solution is so simple that few think of it
During a job interview at companies like Meta or Google, it often happens that you might be surprised with an unusual task: in front of you are 100 identical glasses of water, and only one contains sugar. The question is how you would most quickly discover which glass contains the sugar.
TL;DR
- Job interviews at companies like Meta and Google may include unusual tasks, such as finding sugar in one of 100 identical glasses of water.
- Common approaches like tasting or chemical analysis are less efficient than a simpler solution.
- The quickest answer is to ask the person who added the sugar, assuming they are present and willing to cooperate.
- This type of question evaluates a candidate's analytical approach, logic, and ability to identify problem limitations.
- The task demonstrates the difference between blind problem-solving and strategic thinking by emphasizing the need to verify facts before assuming.