Why Google’s “Soccer Balls on a Bus” Interview Question Isn’t About Math—It’s About You

When Sarah Goose interviewed at Google, she wasn’t expecting a riddle straight out of a logic puzzle book. But there it was:

“How many soccer balls can you fit into a school bus?”

At first, questions like these can make even the most confident candidate break into a cold sweat. You’re sitting there, wondering if you should have majored in physics instead of marketing. But here’s the thing—it’s not about the exact number. It’s about how you think.

The Real Test Behind the Question

Google isn’t secretly trying to figure out how many soccer balls it takes to fill a bus. They’re trying to see how you approach complex, abstract problems with incomplete information.

When faced with a question like this, a good candidate doesn’t panic. Instead, they:

• Clarify assumptions. Are we talking about a standard U.S. school bus? Should we assume the bus is empty? Do the soccer balls need to stay inflated?
• Break the problem down. Maybe you estimate the dimensions of the bus—say, 8 feet wide, 6 feet high, and 20 feet long. That’s about 960 cubic feet. A soccer ball is roughly the size of a volleyball, around 0.4 cubic feet. Divide the bus volume by the ball volume, adjust for the fact that spheres don’t pack perfectly (about 70% efficiency), and boom—you’ve got a ballpark figure.
• Think out loud. It’s not about the final number—it’s about showing your reasoning. The interviewer wants to hear how you think, how you handle ambiguity, and whether you’re willing to make educated guesses rather than freeze up.

Why This Matters in the Job Market

For job seekers, questions like this highlight a shift in hiring practices. It’s no longer enough to just list your skills and experience. Employers want to know:

• Can you think critically?
• Are you comfortable with uncertainty?
• Do you approach challenges logically, or do you get overwhelmed?

If you’re interviewing and get a question like this, remember—it’s not about nailing the right answer. It’s about showing your process. Walk the interviewer through your thoughts. Even if your math is off, demonstrating a structured approach will impress them.

A Lesson for Employers

For hiring managers, this question works because it peels back the layers and shows how a candidate thinks under pressure. But it only works if you focus on the process, not the product.

Look for candidates who stay calm, break down the problem, and communicate clearly. Those are the people who will handle real-world challenges with the same poise—whether they’re designing a new product, solving a customer issue, or yes, figuring out how to fit an absurd number of soccer balls into a bus.

Because in the end, it’s not about the soccer balls. It’s about finding people who know how to play the game.