The professors of mathematics and physics were staring at the flag pole in front of the college building. The professor of English, walking by, asked, “What seems to be the problem?”
“We were wondering how to measure the height of this flag pole,” said the professor of mathematics.
The professor of English quickly unscrewed the pole from its moorings, laid it on the ground, whipped out a measuring tape, measured it, and said, “It is exactly 20 feet long,” and walked away smoking his pipe.
Looking at the English professor’s receding back, the professor of physics remarked, “Smart Ass. We wanted to know the height, and he tells us the length!”