This Week's Puzzle

This assignment is due before 9 AM, Friday, October 20th, 2000.



  • Puzzle solutions are due by 9:00 AM on Friday of each week.
  • Puzzles are worth 5 points of extra credit each.
  • Answers must be accompanied by valid reasoning. Just like the tests, the answer alone isn't enough!
  • Each week, the first student to submit a correct answer will recieve the stylish 251 T-shirt.
  • Previous winners get a "virtual t-shirt." No shirt, but a chance to win a prize with actual value at the end of the semester (often a book, or maybe software).
  • Please enter your solution in the text area at the bottom of this page. DON'T FORGET TO GIVE YOUR NAME!

"Burnout"

Consider the circuit above, in which three identical lightbulbs are attached to an ideal battery. If bulb #2 burns out, which of the following will occur?

a) Bulbs #1 and #3 are unaffected. Thus, the total brightness is decreased.
b) Bulbs #1 and #3 both get brighter. The total brightness is unchanged.
c) Bulbs #1 and #3 both get dimmer. The total brightness is decreased.
d) Bulb #1 gets dimmer but #3 gets brighter. The total brightness is unchanged.
e) Bulb #1 gets brighter but #3 gets dimmer. The total brightness is unchanged.
f) Bulb #1 gets dimmer but #3 gets brighter. The total brightness is decreased.
g) Bulb #1 gets brighter but #3 gets dimmer. The total brightness is decreased.
h) Bulb #1 is unaffected but #3 gets brighter. The total brightness is unchanged.
i) Bulb #1 is unaffected but #3 gets brighter. The total brightness is decreased.
j) None of the above.

Don't forget to explain your answer as clearly as possible.


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