As an experiment, an engineer, a physicist, and a mathematician are placed
in separate rooms and left with a can of  food, but no can opener.
A day later, the rooms are opened, one-by-one.

In the first room, the engineer is snoring, with a battered, opened and
emptied can. When asked, he explains that when he got hungry, he beat the
can to its failure point.

In the second room, the physicist is seen mouthing equations, with a can
popped open beside him. When asked, he explains that when he got hungry, he
examined the stress points of the can, applied pressure, and "pop!"

In the third room, the mathematician is found sweating, and mumbling to
himself, "Assume the can is open, assume the can is open..."

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