1 Response to The Elevator Riddle – hockeyplayer

1. davidbdale says:

   October 22, 2023 at 6:05 pm

   Well, HockeyPlayer, I’ve tried to encourage everybody to choose INSTRUCTIONS to the Elevator over EXPLANATIONS for human passengers, but you’ve chosen to write for a human audience, so let’s start there.

   I will gladly evaluate and grade you on the basis of that choice without penalty, but you’ll have to be just as clear and precise with your human readers as your classmates are being with the Elevator.

   • I press a button to summon on the third floor of the hospital which has 5 floors.
   —OK.

   • The Elevator proceeds to the floor it was summoned too.
   —OK

   • The Elevator stops on the second floor because the floor comes before my floor.
   —I presume the Elevator started on the first floor and that somebody on the second floor also pressed a Call button, but I shouldn’t have to presume anything if you’re providing me a complete set of explanations.

   • After the stop on the second floor the Elevator closes and proceeds to me on the third floor.
   —Well . . . what if the passenger who gets on at the second floor presses the 1 Destination button? Will the Elevator turn around to fulfill the Destination request before continuing on to you?

   • When the Elevator arrives to me I get on and use the command button to go down to the first floor which then causes the Elevator to shut.
   —Odd that you mentioned the door shutting but not the door opening.

   • After the command button is selected the Elevator begins to move and however before my destination is reached it stops on the second floor as someone ordered for it to be.
   —Again, will the Elevator stop at the second floor if the prospective passenger pressed the Up Call Button, or only if the Down Button was pressed?

   • When arriving to the second floor the Elevator stops and opens for the new passengers, and after they have selected their command button the Elevator shuts.
   —Since you haven’t specified, we might decide from this explanation that the elevator will stop BOTH for upbound passengers AND downbound passengers.
   —Not to be tooooo picky, but will the door wait until ALL the new passengers have made floor selections? How would it know how many passengers? How would it know how many different floors might be desired?

   • After the Elevator begins to move again we arrive at the first floor my destination and the Elevator opens and I leave, The Elevator will continue to serve its next commands.
   —OK

   Since you’ve chosen to provide explanations for a Human audience, you have WAAAYYYY more responsibilities for instruction. For example:
   1. When I press a Call Button, does it light?
   2. When does it go out?
   3. When I enter the elevator, will any Destination buttons be lit? Which ones? Will I learn anything about the route from the button lights?
   4. If I’m on my way UP, will the elevator stop for anyone who has pressed a Down Call Button?
   5. If I get off at my Destination floor, what will the elevator do?
   6. If I don’t get off at my Destination floor, what will the elevator do?
   7. Does it make sense to get onto an elevator headed Up if I want to go Down? Presumably it will eventually go to my destination floor, but . . . what will be different about waiting until the elevator turns around and comes back Down to collect me?

   Etc.

   The ELEVATOR needs a few very clear INSTRUCTIONS.
   People need a very different set of EXPLANATIONS.
   Helpful?

   Graded.
   Revision are always encouraged, particularly on this assignment, which we will update repeatedly throughout the semester.
   Regrades, too, are always available following substantial improvements.
   Should you revise, your Beloved Professor will not automatically notice.
   So, if you desire a Regrade, put your post back into Feedback Please and let me know you’ve earned fresh consideration.
   I’ll decide whether the improvements are substantial.
   (Try not to make things worse. 🙂 )

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