How to Extinguish a Fire

In yet another attempt to find out who was the smartest, a Physicist, an Engineer and a Mathematician were asked the same question.

First, the Physicist was asked, What would you do if the curtains in your room caught fire, and there was a bucket of water on the floor? The Physicist replied, I would run an experiment, involving pouring the water on the fire, to see if it extinguishes.

Then, the Engineer was asked the same question. The Engineer replied, I would first make sure that the bucket contained enough water to extinguish the fire, and then pour the water on the fire.

Finally, the Mathematician was asked, What would you do if the curtains in your room caught fire, and there was a bucket of water on your desk? The Mathematician replied, I would lift the bucket from the desk and put it on the floor, thereby reducing the problem to one that has already been solved.

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