Riddle Me This: Stones, Jars, Life, Death
You are a prisoner in a strange land. You have been sentenced to death but are being given one chance to live. The king of the land has decided to let you play a simple game to determine your fate ...
The Apollo I Fire Disaster
At the height of the space race in the 1960s, the United States pursued an accelerated program to put men on the moon before the Soviet Union. Apollo 1 was to be the first crewed mission of the United States Apollo program, the undertaking ...
The August Ethical Dilemma: Board Member Seeking Work
Engineer Heidi serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of a college in a medium-sized city. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the city money, and the city has agreed ...
August Pop Quiz for Engineers
Beat the summer heat with a good score on August’s engineering pop quiz. Are you smarter than an undergraduate?
Riddle Me This: Prison Escape
A man is imprisoned in a ten-foot by ten-foot by ten-foot room. The walls are made of concrete, the floor is made out of dirt, and the only openings are a locked door and a skylight ...
Understanding Construction Contracts
A construction contract is a legally binding contract between an owner and a builder that defines compensation and how that compensation will be distributed during or after the completion of a ...
The Explosion of the SS Sultana
The SS Sultana was an impressive steamboat that ran regular trips up and down the Mississippi River during the Civil War. Then, in the wake of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the SS Sultana ...
The July Ethical Dilemma: Referral Fees
Engineer Ralph receives an unsolicited letter from a local, medium-sized general contractor. The contractor wishes to associate his firm with Ralph’s engineering firm, wherein he will refer clients to Ralph, and asks ...
July Pop Quiz for Engineers
Celebrate Independence…and hopefully celebrate a good score on today’s quiz. Are you smarter than an undergraduate?
Riddle Me This: Cake Slicing
You have a delicious round birthday cake. How many equal-sized pieces can you cut the cake into by making only three straight slices with a knife and without moving any of the pieces?