Why do profs sometimes not answer the question?

[find_the_fun]

Sometimes profs don't answer the right question. In class we were looking at parts of a cable and I asked which part was the sheath and he said "well when we pass this around you can actually see the different parts" and went off on a tangent. Do they this because:

1. It's a bad question
2. They don't understand the question
3. It would mess up their lesson plan
4. They don't know
5. They want students to look it up themselves

What should I do? Should I repeat the question?

 

[Fantini]

Repeating the question is a good way to go in this case, make it clear that you still haven't gotten your answer. "Excuse me professor, could you please show it to me then? If I don't know which one it is, I won't be able to recognize its difference from the others."

 

[soroban]

How to Answer Questions and Alienate Everyone"Why are you scratching yourself?"
"Because I'm the only one who knows where I itch.""Fire Department? .My house in on fire! .Good-bye!"
"Wait! .How do we get to your house?"
"Um . . . in a big red truck?""My wife is having a baby! .What should I do?"
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"Well, they seem to be coming from the same place."Man to piano player: "Do you know your fly is open?"
"No, but if you hum a few bars, Ill fake it.""Do you know that you always answer a question with another question?"
"Do I really?"​