Estimation question

Estimate the weight of an aeroplane. How would you go about calculating it?

Practice this question out loud. An AI interviewer asks it, follows up like a real interviewer would, and scores your answer. Type or speak.

What this question tests

Bottom up decomposition and physical reasoning under an ambiguous prompt of which aeroplane.

Clarify which aeroplane, for example a commercial narrow body like a Boeing 737, since weight varies hugely by type.
Break the aircraft into major components: fuselage and wings, engines, landing gear, and seats or interior.
Estimate each: structure around 20 to 25 tons, two engines around 2.5 tons each for 5 tons total, landing gear around 3 tons, interior around 5 tons.
Sum the structural weight: roughly 35 to 40 tons empty, the operating empty weight.
Add fuel capacity separately, for example up to 20 tons at full tank, noting this isn't part of aeroplane weight unless specified.
Sanity check against the publicly known 737 operating empty weight of roughly 41 tons.

Picks a specific real aircraft to anchor the estimate instead of staying vague.
Breaks the aircraft into components with individually reasoned weights rather than guessing one number.
Distinguishes empty weight from fueled or loaded weight, showing understanding of what is being asked.
Closes with a sanity check against a roughly known real world figure.

Giving one number with no decomposition or reasoning shown.
Confusing empty weight with maximum takeoff weight without flagging the difference.

Chapters of the AI PM course that teach what this question tests.