Tomas was thinking like an engineer by considering the functional requirements of a can opener, and making a practical and cost-effective decision based on those requirements.
An engineer is someone who designs, builds, and tests devices, systems, or structures to meet specific requirements. In this case, the requirement was simply to be able to open cans. Tomas recognized that both the electric can opener and the hand-held can opener could meet this requirement, but he made a practical decision to choose the hand-held can opener instead.
Tomas likely considered factors such as cost, maintenance, durability, and reliability when making his decision. The hand-held can opener is a simpler device that is easy to use, easy to clean, and requires no electricity or batteries. It is also less likely to break down and easier to replace or repair if needed. By choosing the hand-held can opener, Tomas made a practical and cost-effective decision based on the functional requirements of a can opener.
In this way, Tomas was thinking like an engineer, by applying engineering principles to solve a practical problem. He considered the trade-offs between different options and made a decision based on the specific functional requirements of the problem.