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Experts in mathematics divide the bill

This is a translation of the Math Experts Split the Check note, in which a simple example of splitting an account in a restaurant clearly demonstrates how different the views and judgments of a physicist, mathematician, engineer, economist, and programmer can be.

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Engineer: do not forget to tip 18%.
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Mathematician: is it before taxes or after?

Physicist: let's assume that there are no taxes in our system.

Programmer: but there is a tax!

Physicist: Of course, but if we do not pay tax or tip, then it will be easier to count. This is a small error. No need to complicate.

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Engineer: what you call a “small error”, I consider it a “big problem”.

Economist: forget, taxes are still ineffective. They create irretrievable losses.

Mathematician: you again for your ...

Economist: yes! If there were no taxes, I would have ordered a second mineral water! But instead, the government intervened, and at the expense of increasing operating expenses, would prevent the deal, which both I and the restaurant would have been pleased with.

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Engineer: but you ordered a second mineral water.

Economist: in practice, yes. But my arguments are valid in theory.

The programmer put the smartphone on the table.

Programmer: Ok, I wrote a program that will help us deal with the bill.

Mathematician: Pff. Any idiot could handle it. Trivial task.

Programmer: Can you write a program?

Mathematician: for what? Writing programs is also a trivial task!

Engineer: Um ... The program says that each of us owes $ 4,800.

Programmer: Well, I have not debugged it yet!

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Physicist: it's a waste of time. Let's share the score equally.

Economist: no! It is not right. Let everyone say how much he is willing to pay, and deal with the rest with the help of an auction and a contract curve.

Physicist: eh?

Mathematician: as always in economics, only one nonsense, if the phrase has the word "auction".

Engineer: everything is simple: add to your account a tax of 8% and a tip of 18%.

Mathematician: Does anyone know how much will be 12 plus 7?

Programmer: do not you know?

Mathematician: Do I look like a walking calculator? Numbers for children and idiots.

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The engineer looked at the money collected.

Engineer: all paid? it seems a bit lacking ...

Physicist: how much is missing?

Engineer: total bill was $ 104, no tip ... We have $ 31.07 and an old lottery ticket.

Physicist: a small error!

Mathematician: which of you spent money on a lottery ticket ?!

Economist: I must say that I will not eat here anymore. And you?

Programmer: what does it mean?

Economist: well, in the prisoner's dilemma the dominant strategy loses.

Engineer: and?

Economist: we should not tip, because we no longer see this waiter.

Programmer: this is terrible.

Physicist: think 0% tip or 20% is important for a waiter? A small error.

Engineer distracted from the calculations.

Engineer: well, everything, I calculated how much each of us has to pay using a double integral and a partial derivative. And checked all three times.

Mathematician: We all ordered the same thing? You could just divide the bill by five.

Engineer: Yes? Well ... Of course I could! Stop cleverly!

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Economist: well, everyone agrees not to tip?

Programmer: Well ... the waiter brought only two plates of french fries.

Physicist: we ordered two.

Programmer: that's it. We received the 1st order, the 2nd order, but did not receive the 0th order!

Economist: I will be frank. At the moment, my personal interest is not to pay. And the economy is booming, if each of us pursues personal interests. See you!

The economist is gone. The programmer and the engineer looked at each other and followed him.

Mathematician: it looks like only you and me.

Physicist: well, a problem with only two bodies will be easier to solve.

Mathematician: how?

Physicist: by reducing the number of bodies in the problem to one.

The physicist runs away.

Mathematician: come back!

Waiter: Will you pay the bill?

Mathematician: well , I have proof that we can pay. But it is not constructive.

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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/188200/


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