The management of a company had a flagpole erected in front of the company building. They are very proud of it and want to write about it in the company newsletter. However, nobody knows how high the pole is. Therefore the managers try to measure the height with a yardstick. However, none of the managers can reach the top. Even though they try different methods, like standing on each other’s shoulders, nobody is able to measure the length of this impressive flagpole.

A freelance engineer comes along, takes down the flagpole, puts it on the meadow, measures, says: “The flagpole is exactly 7.58 meters long” and walks away.

As soon as he has disappeared, one of the managers says: “Typical of an engineer! We wanted to know how high the pole is and he told us the length! Such a person could never rise to the top management like us”.