An investment firm is hiring mathematicians. After the first round of interviews, three hopeful recent graduates a pure mathematician, an applied mathematician, and a graduate in mathematical finance are asked what starting salary they are expecting.
The pure mathematician: "Would 30,000 be too much?"
The applied mathematician: "I think 60,000 would be OK."
The math finance person: "What about 300,000?"
The personnel officer is flabbergasted: "Do you know that we have a graduate in pure mathematics who is willing to do the same work for a tenth of what you are demanding!?"
"Well, I thought of 135,000 for me, 135,000 for you and 30,000 for the pure mathematician who will do the work."
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