This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time -- thanks for
sharing it. I appreciate it on several levels because I'm a rural southern
Indiana hick by birth and at present I'm a liberal arts Ph.D. working full
time for an engineering company. I'm going to pass this on to my co-workers.

-----Original Message-----
From: James [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2001 12:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fwd: FW: Ozark Engineering Test


>The following was forwarded to me from my son the engineer.  Good examples
>of the gulf between formal engineering/science and the empirical real
>world.   Pardon the potentially offensive stereotypes, which I am sure
>could find substitutes in different parts of the world.



> >
> > > >           Ozark engineering test
> > > >
> > > > 1. Calculate the smallest limb diameter on a
> > > > persimmon
> > > > tree that will support a 10 pound possum.
> > > >
> > > > 2. Which of the following cars will rust out the
> > > > quickest when placed on blocks in your front yard?
> > > > '66
> > > > Ford Fairlane '69 Chevrolet Chevelle '64 Pontiac GTO
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 3. If your uncle builds a still that operates at a
> > > > capacity of 20 gallons of shine per hour, how many
> > > > car
> > > > radiators are necessary to condense the product?
> > > >
> > > > 4. A pulpwood cutter has chain saw that operates at
> > > > 2700 rpm. The density of the pine trees in a plot to
> > > > be harvested is 470 per acre. The plot is 2.3
> > > > acres in size. The average tree diameter is 14
> > > > inches.
> > > > How many Budweiser Tall-Boys will it take to cut the
> > > > trees?
> > > >
> > > > 5. If every old refrigerator in the state vented a
> > > > charge of R-12 simultaneously, what would be the
> > > > decrease in the ozone layer?
> > > >
> > > > 6. A front porch is constructed of 2x8 pine on
> > > > 24-inch
> > > > centers with a field rock foundation. The span is 8
> > > > feet and the porch length is 16 feet. The porch
> > > > floor
> > > > is 1 inch rough sawn pine. When the porch collapses,
> > > > how many hound dogs will be killed?
> > > >
> > > > 7. A man owns an Arkansas house and 3.7 acres of
> > > > land
> > > > in a hollow with an average slope of 15%. The man
> > > > has
> > > > 5 children. Can each of the children place a mobile
> > > > home on the man's land?
> > > >
> > > > 8. A 2-ton pulpwood truck is overloaded and
> > > > proceeding
> > > > down a steep grade on a secondary road at 45 mph.
> > > > The
> > > > brakes fail. Given the average traffic loading of
> > > > secondary roads, how many people will swerve to
> > > > avoid
> > > > the truck before it crashes at the bottom of the
> > > > mountain? For extra credit, how many of the vehicles
> > > > that swerved will have mufflers and uncracked
> > > > windshields?
> > > >
> > > > 9. A coal mine operates a NFPA Class 1, Division 2
> > > > Hazardous Area. The mine employs 120 miners per
> > > > shift.
> > > > A gas warning is issued at the beginning of 3rd
> > > > shift.
> > > > How many cartons of unfiltered Camels will be smoked
> > > > during the shift?
> > > >
> > > > 10. At a reduction in gene pool variability rate of
> > > > 7.5% per generation, how long will it take a town
> > > > that
> > > > has been bypassed by the interstate to breed a
> > > > country-western singer?
> > >
> >