The engineer, physicist, and mathematician were all at a conference hotel, and each woke up to discover a small fire had started in the carpet beside the bed.
The engineer ran to the bathroom, filled the ice bucket with water, and doused the fire, although making a mess in the process.
The physicist used a pocket knife to excise the burning part of the carpet, brought it to the sink, and poured a glass of water on it.
The mathematician went to the bathroom, turned the water on, then off, and got back in bed saying "a solution exists."
The engineer ran to the bathroom, filled the ice bucket with water, and doused the fire, although making a mess in the process.
The physicist used a pocket knife to excise the burning part of the carpet, brought it to the sink, and poured a glass of water on it.
The mathematician went to the bathroom, turned the water on, then off, and got back in bed saying "a solution exists."