Einstein

[ubuysa]

Einstein once found himself sitting next to a young man on a flight.
Einstein said "how about a competition to pass the time?".
"Ok", says the young man, "what do you have in mind?".

Einstein says, "well, I'll ask you a question and if you can't answer you give me $5".
"Then you can ask me a question, and to make it fair, if I can't answer it I'll give you $500".
The young man agrees.

Einstein's first question is "how far away from Earth is the Moon?".
The young man thinks for a time, but then reaches into his pocket and hands Einstein $5.

The young man then asks Einstein "what goes up a hill on three legs but comes down on four legs?".
Einstein thinks for a long time, searching through his scientific memory, but eventually he reaches into a pocket and gives the young man $500.

Einstein then says, "before I ask my next question, what does go up a hill on three legs and comes down on four legs?"
The young man reaches into a pocket and hands Einstein $5

 

[davhun]

Einstein once found himself sitting next to a young man on a flight.
Einstein said "how about a competition to pass the time?".
"Ok", says the young man, "what do you have in mind?".

Einstein says, "well, I'll ask you a question and if you can't answer you give me $5".
"Then you can ask me a question, and to make it fair, if I can't answer it I'll give you $500".
The young man agrees.

Einstein's first question is "how far away from Earth is the Moon?".
The young man thinks for a time, but then reaches into his pocket and hands Einstein $5.

The young man then asks Einstein "what goes up a hill on three legs but comes down on four legs?".
Einstein thinks for a long time, searching through his scientific memory, but eventually he reaches into a pocket and gives the young man $500.

Einstein then says, "before I ask my next question, what does go up a hill on three legs and comes down on four legs?"
The young man reaches into a pocket and hands Einstein $5

I am a bit short of cash after Xmas so will offer a solution. At the bottom of the hill is a school and on this particular day was holding it's annual sportsday. One of the races was the three legged race and it goes without saying that the sportsfield stretched from the school to the top of the hill. The competitors thus had to race to the top of the hill on 3 legs but could then untie their legs and descend back to the school on 4 legs.

I would prefer the $500.