I've Got Problems

Have you ever had a teacher tell you the following?

"If you can solve the questions, then I will give you more, and they will keep getting harder and harder and harder until I crush you."

Neither had I, until yesterday.

I'm taking a class on problem solving. Unlike the prescriptive learning style of other classes (read: you demonstrate, I repeat), in order to learn problem solving you need to challenge your mind (read: you blindfold me and stick me in a hole of unknown size at an undisclosed site and leave me for dead, and I find my way out. Alone.) I am the most frustrated and the most content that I have been in a long time. My sleep is being replaced with a scratch pad. That's okay. That's what espresso is for.

Here is a logic problem that my teacher gave us to try. I have already heard this one and I know the answer. Since I can't enjoy it, I thought I'd pass it along to you.

You are alone in the basement of a house. In the basement there are three identical light switches. One of the switches can turn on a light bulb, which is located in the attic. The other two switches are broken and have no function. Your mission is to determine which of the three switches turns on the light bulb. You can flick as many switches as many times as you like, but you can only go to the attic once to check. How do you do it?

Many people ask questions like, "Can I phone a friend?" or "Is there a window in the attic." The answer to these, and any other "Can I..." or "Is there..." type questions is always NO.

Have fun with this one! It's a mind bender. It helps to think outside of the box.

Enjoy!