Thought to share this as 2006 leaps away from its starting 
blocks...

"There are SEVERAL ways to solve a problem.  For example, consider 
the following from "The Teaching of Elementary Science and 
Mathematics" by Alexander Calandra:

The process of creativity is a mysterious and interesting one.  It is
brilliantly described in the following story.  A student refused to
parrot back what he had been taught in class.  When the student
protested, I was asked to act as arbiter between the student and his
professor.

I went to my colleague's office and read the examination question:
'Show how it is possible to determine the height of a tall building
with the aid of a barometer.'

The student had answered:  'Take the barometer to the top of the
building, attach a long rope to it, lower the barometer to the street
and then bring it up, measuring the length of the rope.  The length of
the rope is the height of the building.'

A high grade is supposed to certify competence in physics, but the
answer did not confirm this.  I suggested that the student have another
try at answering the question.  I gave the student six minutes, with
the warning that his answer should show some knowledge of physics.  In
the next minute he dashed off his answer, which read:  'Take the
barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the
roof.  Drop the barometer, timing its fall with a stopwatch.  Then,
using the formula S = {frac 1/2}a{sp 8}t(2), calculate the height of
the building.'

At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up.  He conceded,
and I gave the student almost full credit.

In leaving my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had said
he had other answers to the problem, so I asked him what they were.

'Oh, yes.  There are many ways of getting the height of a tall building
with the aid of a barometer.  For example, you could take the barometer
out on a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the length
of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building, and by the
use of a simple proportion, determine the height of the building.'

Fine, I said.  And the others?

'Yes.  Take the barometer and begin to walk up the stairs.  As you
climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer along the
wall.  You then count the number of marks, and this will give you the
height of the building in barometer units.  A very direct method.'

'Finally, there are many other ways of solving the problem.  Proably
not the best is to take the barometer to the basement and knock on the
superintendent's door.  When the superintendent answers, you speak to
him as follows:  "Mr.  Superintendent, here I have a fine barometer.  If
you will tell me the height of this building, I will give you this
barometer".'"

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Mmmm ... so wouldn't it have been easier to fire the barometer up 
the side of the building with known forces until it just reachs 
the top, and then use it's weight, the force and gravity to 
calculate the height directly ?

:-S 
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