Insisting on a negative sign is absolutely ludicrous. When people actually took the time to figure out the equation for it and calculate it, they should be rewarded.
I think a negative sign is already implied when they ask for the "deflection" of the beam. I set up my coordinate system saying positive deflections were down ...
Whoever made this Lenny Connundrum is just trying to make themselves feel smug for asking such a "hard" one. I think they were surprised that so many people were able to do the math ... so they had to figure out a way to make it look like it was harder than it actually was. So, they made it such that only *32* people could get it "right" by insisting on a controversial negative sign.
This was hard LC ... I liked it alot. But if they aren't going to reward all the people who actually figured it out, then it completely smurfs. (yes, I used the word that describes a small blue thing there on purpose)
Sour Grapes? Sure. Justified ... I think so. Your opinion may vary.
P.S. I see all the "Neopian Structural Engineering" that are in the trading post are people from the 'www.neoholic.com' guild. Interesting.
P.P.S. With only 32 of those books in Neopia ... that makes the prize worth millions of Neopoints. Conspiracy?
I see they are all asking for exactly the same thing, as well. BOO HISS.