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Since the position is for a revenue management position, the interviewer will want to see that you can think through the math in a practical way. Don't guess. Instead, think aloud as you work out the answer. Here's a simple way to get a rough estimate of the number of basketballs that will fit in the room. Estimate the size of the room. Let's say it is about 10' x 10', with an 8' ceiling. Now, estimate the volume required for one basketball. To get a rough answer, don't get fancy with equations and dealing with the shape of the basketball. You may not be sure of the diameter of a basketball, but you have a rough idea. To make the math simple, figure that the ball is about 1' in diameter. The ball is the same width in all directions, so it takes up roughly 1 cubic foot of volume. How many cubic feet in the room? 10 time 10 time 8, or 800. So, there's room for approximately 800 basketballs. If I were interviewing a candidate for this type of position, I'd be very pleased if the candidate could think through that answer. But if this were a position for a role that involved more sophisticated math, such as a data analyst or engineering position, I would expect the candidate to go further and discuss how the estimate could be improved. The next step would be accounting for the exact dimensions of the room and basketballs. And an engineer should be aware of dense packing arrangements that could fit more basketballs into the room. Less