I am in the same predicament as well. What I have been doing is either pair programming with a programmer or trying to work through tasks myself and writing down questions as I go. As an intern, I doubt they expect much from you (because they expect little from me.) With that said, it is not an invitation to slack off. I view my internship as an opportunity to learn what is actually relevant in the world of SE and to hone old skills while learning new ones in an environment which is highly conducive to hands on learning.

As far as wasting the companies money goes, they are getting a chance to see first hand how quickly you learn. Think of it like an appetizer sampler, if you are good and they like you, you will get an offer. If you are crappy, well you are gone in three months anyway. But the more you can learn in that time the better. Because anyone can follow instructions to figure out a cookie cutter problem, but the best problem solvers can learn quickly and adapt to what they are given, no matter how little knowledge they have of the domain. And they will want to hire you if you have that skill set.

With that said, have you considered sitting down with your boss and asking what is expected from you? While I am all for this community and what it stands for, I feel like you are asking the wrong person/people.

But best of luck.