A very rich and not very bright man wants to know for sure how much two plus two is, so he hires an accountant, a mathematician, an engineer, and a lawyer, and pays them $1000 each to tell him the answer.

The accountant pockets his check and then says: "I'm almost ashamed to take your money. Two plus two is four." He holds up four fingers for emphasis. "Four. That's all there is to it. Thank you and goodbye."

After he leaves, the mathematican says: "Actually, two plus two is four point zero, with a horizontal line over the zero to represent the repeating decimal." He draws the number on the board, spends several hours explaining about repeating decimals, then takes his money and leaves.

After that, the engineer says: "Actually, two plus two is four point zero zero times ten to the zeroeth power plus or minus zero point zero zero times ten to the zeroeth power." He draws the formula on the board and spends two whole days explaining it, then takes his money and leaves.

Finally, the lawyer waits for the engineer to leave, locks the door behind him, closes the shades, goes up to the rich man's desk and says quietly: "How much do you want it to be?"