when the right answer is the wrong answer

In grade school we are taught to answer the questions that are asked. An authority figure (usually a teacher) poses the question and the students provide the information requested.

I think that it’s a sign of the autonomy of adulthood to resist providing the answer when the point of the question is unclear or misdirected. Asking about the context that a question is asked in can be the most effective way to determine if you are going the right direction.

Sometimes the best answer addresses a different question.