Help with a hard word problem on Facebook

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soroban
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My wife found this on Facebook.

If I have four pencils and you have seven apples,
how many pancakes will fit on the roof?

Answer: Purple, because aliens don't wear hats.

 
on Phys.org
Would someone please explain the joke for me? Can't decide whether it's absurdest or just missed the punchline.
 
Jameson said:
Would someone please explain the joke for me? Can't decide whether it's absurdest or just missed the punchline.

Seconded.
 

Do I really have to explain the joke?

It is a parody of all word problems.

This is probably the way word problems look
. . to 99% of the general population.
 

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