That's very common. That's why I don't try to "guess" the
problem if someone asks a badly phrased problem, but instead
reply with counter-questions, trying to get the person to
correctly formulate the problem - after which the problem
solves itself.
Too bad too many people here are too eager to show off their
knowledge, and don't attempt to let the person solve the
problem him/herself.
A correctly phrased problem is already half solved.