(Personal note: This was an actual joke told by my lecturer. No offence intended to civil engineers.
)Three engineering students (one electrical, one mechanical, one civil) were given a third-order differential equation (ODE) to solve.
EE undergrad: 'Third order ODE? Phew... anything less would be no kick at all.'
ME undergrad: 'Third order ODE? Siong... but we can simplify it to first order by making some simplifying assumptions.'
CE undergrad: 'Third order ODE? But I can only solve first order leh....'