Googlers in the UK set their building’s roof on fire during a bar-b-que. I included a test question from the Google Labs Aptitude Test in my study Google Version 2.0. In the spirit of the frivolity resulting from this setting the Google facility on fire, I have crafted a sample of the Google UK GLAT question concerning this situation:
A carbon-based substance produced by slow pyrolysis ignites. The heat exceeds 1510°C. You squirt CH3NO2 on the carbon substance and ignite the mixture with a standard kitchen match. The compounds reach a temperature of 1510°C before you open the vents on the bottom of the fire chamber. The carbon based substance falls to the surface (roof) coated with an asphalt with a flash point above 200°C. Calculate the speed with which the flame spreads to the square of the fire chamber. Once you have this value, your action is to:
[a] Capture the fire on your iPhone and distribute via Twitvid.com
[b] Tear off your T shirt with the word ‘woot’ on the front and use it to smother the flames
[b] Calculate the impact velocity of a jump from a 30 meter height while cradling your MacBook
[c] Continue debugging your Haskell code, allowing lesser creatures to deal with trivial matters
[d] Apply for a job at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, England
Stephen Arnold, August 28, 2009