• ThatGuy46475@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    102
    ·
    12 hours ago

    A group of researchers was studying how different people solve problems. They gathered a physicist, a mathematician, and an engineer and gave them each a problem: find the volume of a red sphere. The mathematician solves it first. Asked how, he explains that he used a simple formula. The physicist solves it next. Asked how, he explains that he submerged the sphere in water and measured the rise in water level. Hours later, they find the engineer buried in paperwork. Asked about his progress, he says “I can only find a table of values for the volume of blue spheres.”

    • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      5 hours ago

      They later added an Anthropologist, who understood that more questions needed to be asked. His first question was “do you want fries with that?”

    • NaibofTabr@infosec.pub
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      69
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      11 hours ago

      On further inspection, it was found that the mathematician had assumed an ideal sphere of constant radius, while the real object was in fact oblate. The mathematician had neglected to take any measurements, leading to an incorrect value. The physicist’s answer was correct, but only at sea level at nominal temperature.

      The engineer is currently using calipers to measure the diameter of the object at many different angles in order to build a CAD model. He said we could expect results next year.

      • BartyDeCanter@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 hours ago

        Anywhere with gravity sufficient to overcome the surface tension of the water from forming around the object or clinging to the container.

      • tyler@programming.dev
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        29
        ·
        10 hours ago

        The physicist’s answer would be correct anywhere, no matter the temperature or density of the fluid.

        • montechristo@feddit.org
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          11
          ·
          10 hours ago

          Supposing that the measurements with and without the sphere are taken under identical circumstances. But you deserve the upvote either way.