Welcome to sTEm-at-work ! As we move to the half way point in our fourth year of puzzles, the puzzles will still kept their operational visual mantra; Provide data as an analog plot that can be used to answer the posed yes/no question. These questions will always reflect some activity that a technician performs but the puzzle plots will not have much (if any) specific magnitude information associated with the graph’s abscissa and ordinate. The goal is to have the reader assess the situation from the shapes of the plots and, combined with the verbiage in the puzzle statement, make an informed decision and select an answer. As is the case for technicians in real situations, the puzzle may not have all the information the reader wants, but that’s all that the situation has to offer. However, a decision still has to be made. (As you have requested, we will continue to offer a new puzzle every other month, with brief narratives on the puzzles offered in the alternate months.)

Discuss the latest puzzle with Dr Richard Gilbert on the FLATE FOCUS newsletter blog. Click on the “STEM-at-Work” Puzzle in the right panel. The comment box is under the puzzle.

Puzzle 1:

Have a look at this pdf. Then decide if the home should be retrofitted for energy conservation.

Puzzle 2:

Have a look at this pdf.

Did WOW-a1 meet Volvo’s requirements?

Puzzle 3:

Have a look at this pdf.

Do any of the fuels meet both design requirements?

Puzzle 4:

Have a look at this pdf.

You have decided that the curve (b) is the myoglobin results. Did the physician agree with you?

Puzzle 5:

Have a look at this pdf.