A group of lieutenants were given the assignment to measure the height of a
flagpole. So they go out to the flagpole with ladders and tape measures. They're
falling off the ladders and dropping the tape measure. The whole thing is a
mess.
Finally, a sergeant comes along and sees what they're trying to do. He walks
over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground, lays it flat, measures it from end
to end, gives the measurement to one of the lieutenants, and walks away.
After the sergeant has gone, one lieutenant turns to another and laughs, "Isn't
that just like a sergeant? We're looking for the height and he gives us the
length!"
HOME The height of a flagpole