Decoding the tough interview of CEO Tesla: Elon Musk

The CEO of Tesla Motor Elon Musk has a favorite question: if you go north for a mile, go west for a mile, go south for a mile and you still return to your original starting point. So where were you?

This is a very tough question that Elon Musk often challenges candidates to apply to their organization. However, not everyone can easily find the answer and it is even more difficult when the number of answers does not stop at number 1.

Video decoding the harsh interview of Elon Musk

Detailed analysis:

Through the video above, you can see that the answer to this question does not stop at one or two but a lot.

First answer: You are in the North Pole

This is the answer that most people can easily think of right from the first few seconds.

Decoding the tough interview of CEO Tesla: Elon Musk Picture 1

The meridians on the Earth will converge to the north and south poles. At the north end, going to which direction it will also be south. And when you go down to the South Pole, then turn to the West and back to the North, your travel route forms a triangle and obviously, the end point will stop where you started.

Note: Even if you choose to turn to the East or West, the answer is still the same.

Second answer: You are in the South Pole

Imagine you are near the South Pole. At this point, draw a circle with a circumference equal to one mile (the circumference of the circle is its boundary boundary or the circle itself). Temporarily call it the C1 circle.

Decoding the tough interview of CEO Tesla: Elon Musk Picture 2

If you are in a position on the C2 circle one mile north of the C1 circle, when you move down the C1 a mile, then you turn to the West 1 mile (you are going around C1 circle has a circumference of 1 mile) and finally, when going north, you will return to the point where you started.

Obviously, all points on the C2 circle are the answer.

Still the third answer (expanded):

The above video is only separated into the two most common answers but has expanded to another answer at the end and you can understand as follows:

Think of a circle with a circumference equal to 1/2 mile and call it circle C (1/2) temporarily.

If you are 1 mile away from the circle, move one mile south, then turn west for a mile, meaning you have to go around the circle C (1/2) twice (due to This circle only has a circumference of 1/2 mile, so you have to go twice to make sure it is 1 mile) and finally, when going north 1 mile, you return to the right starting point.

Decoding the tough interview of CEO Tesla: Elon Musk Picture 3

Similarly, if you draw a circle near the South Pole with a circumference equal to one third of a mile, then when you turn to the West you will have to go around this circle three times and then you will return to where you started.

The same is true for a circle with a circumference of 1/4 mile, 1/5 mile and for any circle with a circumference of 1 / n (where n is any number or assume 1 / X as a video above mentioned). When you turn to the west, you will have to go around the circle exactly n times and eventually return to the starting point in the north.

So next time, if someone challenges you with this question, are you ready to give the answer?