Taking high school juniors to the chemistry lab is always an interesting experience. They have legitimate questions from time to time, which I am glad to answer, but often the questions they ask are things which they really ought to think through for themselves instead of trying to get me to help them.
Today a young man says "I can't figure out how to get this last equation." Which means: "Give me a hint. Help me with it. Do my thinking for me." To which I said, "Well, then, think it through and see what the procedure tells you." A few minutes later he says "Okay, I've got it now."
So I reply "See, you didn't need me for that." And his response: "No, but it would have saved me a minute or two."
And therein lies the crux of the issue!
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