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Request: Estimation questions (unusual ones)

estimation Market sizing
New answer on Feb 29, 2020
7 Answers
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Gautham asked on Feb 16, 2020
Looking to practice and learn with committed folks on a daily basis. Cheers !

Hello. I am looking for unusual estimation questions to pratice. By unusual i mean those for which the typical segmented user-usage/consumption-price (or) the demand approach won't apply. Can someone give me a list of such unusual estimation questions please?

thank you !

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Luca
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 replied on Feb 28, 2020
BCG |NASA | SDA Bocconi & Cattolica partner | GMAT expert 780/800 score | 200+ students coached

Hello,

How many people are drinking in this moment in the world?;)

Best,
Luca

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Ian
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 replied on Feb 17, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Price of a plane

Golf balls in a room

# hits in a tennis game

Weight of the ISS

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Francesco
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 replied on Feb 17, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi Gautham,

here are some:

  • How many elephants are there in the world
  • How long did it take to build the Great Wall of China
  • It's year 1 AD, I am the Roman emperor and you are one of my generals. I want to conquer Great Britain. How many soldiers do I need?

(I got the last two during my own interviews;))

Best,

Francesco

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Anonymous replied on Feb 16, 2020

One of my favourites is: Number of windows in New York

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Anonymous A on Feb 17, 2020

how would u solve this?
Vlad
Expert
 replied on Feb 16, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Lenght of the roads in the US

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Clara
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Content Creator
 replied on Feb 17, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

The one I like most is number of hair a cat has!

(SOLUTION: as in most "market sizings" is a P x Q: calculating surface of the cat and then multiplying per hairs/cm2)

Good luck! :)

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Antonello
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 replied on Feb 29, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching
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