What does 'take apart' mean?

[Akbari]

Dear Friends,,

The 1st question:
I want to know what the different meanings of " take apart" are. What does "take apart" mean in the following sentences.
"One day a man put a puzzle in Washoe's cage. Washoe had to take the puzzle apart. Each time she did it right, the man gave her a slice of banana. It was her reward."
Is it correct to say "take the puzzle apart" here means "do or solve the puzzle"?

The 2nd question:
What's your idea about the following test?
A: "Can you ... this problem?"
B: "No, it is a difficult problem."
a. turn on b. keep on c.take apart d. give back
What's the correct choice? Is it possible to take "keep on" as a correct choice? If not why?

Thanks a lot for your patient and your answer.
Yours
Akbari

[HamburgEnglish]

Take apart can mean disassemble, to take something that is whole and break, or disassemble it into pieces for various reasons.
e.g. The engineer took the engine apart to renew the pistons.

To take someone apart can mean to attack them physically or mentally causing pain or destruction.
If you do that again I am really going to take you apart.

You will find this sentence has many area specific meanings and slang approaches.

Yes it is correct to say: "take the puzzle apart"

In your second question the answer can be "take apart" which in this case means to look for the cause of the problem.
"Can you take apart this problem?" or you can say "Can you take this problem apart", but as mentioned, it depends on where you are from!!
AND
In your second question the answer can be "keep on" which in this case means to continue working on or solving the problem.
But you could not say can you keep this problem on! that would have the feeling of wearing the problem....(smile) However again, I am sure that somewhere in the world the possibility of saying "can you keep this problem on" may be used.

Funny language really, one must decide whether they want "by the book" grammatical perfection or whether they want to communicate!!

Rob

[Akbari]

Is it correct to say "take the puzzle apart" in the following sentence means "do or solve the puzzle"?

What does "take apart" mean in the following sentences.
"One day a man put a puzzle in Washoe's cage. Washoe had to take the puzzle apart. Each time she did it right, the man gave her a slice of banana. It was her reward."
Is it correct to say "take the puzzle apart" here means "do or solve the puzzle"?

[HamburgEnglish]

No it means to disassemble the puzzle and therefore I can only assume that the "puzzle" was one where the skill is to take it apart! and no put it together...

[Jamie (K)]

That's correct. The puzzle was not to be assembled, but disassembled. "Take apart" cannot mean "put together". They are opposites. It also does not mean "solve".