Comments on: 10 steps to solving any sizing question – How many baseballs fit inside a Boeing 747? http://managementconsulted.com/consulting-skills/how-many-baseballs-fit-inside-a-boeing-747-10-steps-to-solving-any-sizing-question-aka-the-mini-case-study/ Consulting resumes, interviews, jobs, and case studies Mon, 21 May 2012 01:41:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: strategYard http://managementconsulted.com/consulting-skills/how-many-baseballs-fit-inside-a-boeing-747-10-steps-to-solving-any-sizing-question-aka-the-mini-case-study/comment-page-1/#comment-25040 strategYard Sat, 19 May 2012 19:57:00 +0000 http://managementconsulted.com/?p=671#comment-25040 if it is hard to estimate, i would assume some random number and go on with my calculations if it is hard to estimate, i would assume some random number and go on with my calculations

]]> By: Cooliosterster http://managementconsulted.com/consulting-skills/how-many-baseballs-fit-inside-a-boeing-747-10-steps-to-solving-any-sizing-question-aka-the-mini-case-study/comment-page-1/#comment-24598 Cooliosterster Mon, 08 Aug 2011 04:20:00 +0000 http://managementconsulted.com/?p=671#comment-24598 These kinds of questions have always been a problem for me - not because of the math involved but base estimations of the objects involved. In your examples these would be measurements such as a good estimate of the volume of a 747, or the population of the US. Another question I ran into was "How many subscribers does China Mobile have in China?", which required a knowledge of the market share of China Mobile, the percentage of Chinese people who had mobile phones, the population of China, etc. Granted some of these values you should just know off the top of your head, is there list of values/estimates/ratios you recommend knowing for these kinds of questions? If not what would be a good process to estimate them on the spot? These kinds of questions have always been a problem for me – not because of the math involved but base estimations of the objects involved. In your examples these would be measurements such as a good estimate of the volume of a 747, or the population of the US. Another question I ran into was “How many subscribers does China Mobile have in China?”, which required a knowledge of the market share of China Mobile, the percentage of Chinese people who had mobile phones, the population of China, etc.

Granted some of these values you should just know off the top of your head, is there list of values/estimates/ratios you recommend knowing for these kinds of questions? If not what would be a good process to estimate them on the spot?

]]> By: Conquer Consulting Case Study Interviews and Land Offers at BCG and McKinsey http://managementconsulted.com/consulting-skills/how-many-baseballs-fit-inside-a-boeing-747-10-steps-to-solving-any-sizing-question-aka-the-mini-case-study/comment-page-1/#comment-24371 Conquer Consulting Case Study Interviews and Land Offers at BCG and McKinsey Fri, 18 Feb 2011 23:02:24 +0000 http://managementconsulted.com/?p=671#comment-24371 [...] are 2 types – one is a typical guesstimate scenario (eg, sizing questions like the number of golf balls that fit into a Boeing 747; the market size of wedding dresses in [...] [...] are 2 types – one is a typical guesstimate scenario (eg, sizing questions like the number of golf balls that fit into a Boeing 747; the market size of wedding dresses in [...]

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