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From: israel@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: Physicists, engineers, and Mathemeticians
Message-ID: <4439@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Dec-83 12:40:14 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.4439
Posted: Thu Dec 15 12:40:14 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Dec-83 09:11:27 EST
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 30

Do you know how to tell the difference between a physicist, an engineer
and a mathemetician?

The Physicist wakes up in bed, and notices that the mattress is on fire.  He
quickly measures the area covered by the flames and the rate of expansion.  He
then calculates out how much water it takes to put out the flame, based on how
big the flames will be when he tries to put them out, and taking into account
the time necessary to do the calculations and fill the bucket.  He runs into
the bathroom, grabs an appropriate bucket, fills it exactly with the calculated
amount of water (pouring some out when he over-fills it), and puts out the
fire.  He then goes back to sleep.

The Engineer wakes up and notices the fire.  He quickly estimates in his head
how much water to put it out.  He then runs to the bathroom and grabs a bucket
that is bigger than the volume he had estimated.  He fills it to the brim and
runs back to the bed to put the flames out.  Afterwards, he goes back to sleep.

The Mathemetician wakes up and notices the flames.  He thinks to himself, "It
CAN be put out." and goes back to sleep.


Phone if you lose your job, and stand on your toes.  (Sorry steve, but I've just
							gotten tired of that
							signature line.)
-- 

^-^ Bruce ^-^

University of Maryland, Computer Science
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