science

Kitbag question

Kitbag question is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Kitbag question rather than just read about it. In short: A kitbag question (Hebrew: she'elat kitbag) is a Hebrew slang term referring to a question that is better not asked. It is usually directed to a person of authority.

Key takeaways

Kitbag question belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Kitbag question to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Kitbag question from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A kitbag question (Hebrew: she'elat kitbag) is a Hebrew slang term referring to a question that is better not asked. It is usually directed to a person of authority. The person asking the question (and others) are likely to be negatively affected by the very act of asking the question. The kitbag question is a classic topic in decision theory.

Origin The expression originates in an anecdote often told to new conscripts in the Israel Defence Forces; according to the apocryphal story, soldiers had been commanded by their superiors to assemble for a loaded march with their weapons and ammunition vests. One soldier asked whether they should also bring their kitbags. The reply was "good idea, bring the kitbag as well", to everyone else's annoyance. For if he had not asked, the commanders would never have thought to require bringing the kitbag. The expression began in Israeli army slang, then spread to Israeli society in general, and now has a limited degree of international use.

Examples Kitbag questions come in two main categories:

Questions about a task which the questioner must perform, asking the question in hope of sparking a modification or cancellation of the task. Questions about unclear instructions. In this case, the questioner has a dilemma: on one hand, wishing to clarify the instructions in order to fulfill them better. On the other hand, the very act of asking is likely to make the instructions more severe. Kitbag questions can also occur in non-military contexts. A common example is approaching government authorities in order to receive documents (such as a construction permit for a building). It often seems likely that if the questioner asks the authorities whether they must bring a particular document, the answer will always be "yes", whether or not the document is really needed.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Kitbag question

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Kitbag question claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Kitbag question before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Kitbag question ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Kitbag question

In research: Kitbag question appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Kitbag question in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Kitbag question is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Decision theory, Hebrew slang, Military slang and jargon, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Kitbag question outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Kitbag question in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Kitbag question means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Kitbag question out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kitbag question in simple terms?

A kitbag question (Hebrew: she'elat kitbag) is a Hebrew slang term referring to a question that is better not asked. It is usually directed to a person of authority.

Why does Kitbag question matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Kitbag question?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Kitbag question.