Answer the following questions

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

1. Why did the students laugh at Ramanujan?

Ramanujan asked a silly question, "If no banana is distributed among no one, will everyone still get one banana" in the class. So the children laughed at him.

2. Why did the teacher compliment Ramanujan?

The teacher complimented Ramanujan for asking a question that took centuries for mathematicians to answer.

3. What did Ramanujan do after reading the book on Trigonometry?

Ramanujan mastered the book and also began his own research.

4. What disappointed Ramanujan’s father?

Ramanujan failed twice in his first year arts examination in college because he neglected History, English, Physiology. This disappointed his father.

5. How did Ramanujan manage his paper crisis?

Ramanjan started using even scraps of paper he found lying on the streets. Thus he managed his paper crisis.

6. Why were Ramanujan’s application for jobs rejected?

No one could understand what was written in the note books. Ramanujan showed to prove his mathematical skills. So, his applications for jobs were rejected.

7. Why was Ramanujan sent back to India?

Ramanujan was sent back to India because he was suffering from an incurable Tuberculosis.

B. Answer the following questions in about 80 – 100 words.

1. Describe the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan in India.

Lesson : : From zero to Infinity

Author : Anonymous (Biography of Ramanujan)

Characters : Ramanujan, Classmates, Teachers and Ramanujan's Father

 Theme : Inborn intelligence with diligence leads to excellence.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887. He was born in Erode, Tamil Nadu. His father was a petty clerk. He was a prodigy from childhood. He was ahead of his teachers. He also taught his senior students. When he was 13, he got Loney's Trigonometry from library. He made his own research. He secured first class in Mathematics. He was given Subramanyan scholarship. But he failed twice in Arts. His father was upset. Ramanujan needed money for food and papers. He started using paper scraps. His notebooks impressed the Director of Madras Port Trust, Francis Spring. He gave him job. His salary was ₹22 / month. Later he got research fellowship. He had no degree. But the Madras University gave him fellowship of ₹75.

“There is no great genius without some touch of madness.

2. Narrate the association of Ramanujan with G.H. Hardy.

Lesson : From zero to Infinity

Author : Anonymous (Biography of Ramanujan)

Characters : Ramanujan and G.H. Hardy.

Theme : "Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice"

Ramanujan sent a letter to G.H. Hardy with 120 theorems and formulae. Soon Hardy and Littlewood discovered a mathematical genius. They arranged for Ramanujan's travel for Cambridge University. He found it hard to stay. He was a elected fellow of the Royal Society on February 28, 1918. He was the youngest Indian to receive this. In October, he was the first Indian to be elected to Trinity College, Cambridge. His achievements were Hardy Ramanujan Littlewood circle method. Due to Tuberculosis, he came to India. To forget the pain he again played with numbers till he died.

“A good communication is the best medicine for healthy association”.

COMMON PARAGRAPH

PARAGRAPH FOR TOPPERS:

Synopsis:

• Introduction

• Early childhood and education

• Turning point in his life

• Frayed note books

• Genius in Maths

• Ramanujan and Hardy

• Sickness

• Conclusion

Introduction:

This lesson "From Zero to Infinity" is a biography of Ramanujan. He was an Indian mathematician. He lived during the British rule in India. He is one such prodigy. His knowledge of mathematics was extraordinary.

Early childhood and education:

Ramanujan was born in Erode on December 22, 1887. His father was a clerk in a cloth shop. At the age of 13, he was able to get Loney's Trigonometry book. He mastered this difficult book. He began his own research. He came forth with many mathematical theorems and formulae.

Turning point in his life:

Ramanujan used to do problems on loose sheets of paper or on a slate. He jot the results down in notebooks. One of his senior students showed him synopsis of elementary results in pure applied mathematics book by G.S. Carr. He began work on the problems given in it. This book triggered the mathematical genius in him.

Frayed note books:

Mathematical ideas came to his mind like a flood. He was not able to write down all of them. He noted down in three note books. They are known as Ramanujan's Frayed note books.

Genius in Maths:

Ramanujan got a first class in Maths. But he failed in arts subjects. His father found him scribbling numbers. He thought he had gone mad. He had no money. He needed money to buy papers to write. He would visit offices. No one gave him a job. The director of Madras Port Trust gave him a critical job.

Ramanujan and Hardy:

Ramanujan had sent a letter to the mathematician G.H. Hardy of Cambridge university. In that letter he set out 120 theorems and formulae. Hardy called Ramanujan to Cambridge University. Ramanujan found himself a stranger. He had to cook his own food. Inspite of the hardship he continued his research. He was elected fellow of Royal society. He was the youngest Indian to receive it.

Sickness:

While Ramanujan continued his research, he suffered from Tuberculosis. It is an incurable disease. His health became too worse. He became very thin and weak. So, he was sent back to India.

Conclusion:

Ramanujan had unbearable pain. But he did not stop his research. His life and achievement proves to be an inspiration for the young Indians.

PARAGRAPH FOR AVERAGE STUDENTS:

Title : From zero to Infinity

Author : Anonymous (Biography of Ramanujan).

Theme : Inborn intelligence with diligence leads to excellence.

Ramanujan was born in Erode on December 22, 1887. At the age of 13, he was able to get Loney's Trigonometry book. He mastered this difficult book. He used to do problems on loose sheets of paper or on a slate. He jot the results down in note books. Mathematical ideas came to his mind like a flood. He was not able to write down all of them. He noted down in three note books. The director of Madras Port Trust gave him a clerical job. Ramanujan had sent a letter to the G.H. Hardy of Cambridge University. In that letter he set out 120 theorems and formulae. Hardy called Ramanujan to Cambridge University. Ramanujan found himself a stranger. Inspite of the hardship he continued his research. He suffered from Tuberculosis. But Ramanujan continued his research. His health became too worse. Later he was sent back to India. His life proves to be an inspiration for the young Indians.

PARAGRAPH FOR LATE BLOOMERS:

• Ramanujan was born in Erode.

• He was genius in Maths.

• At the age of 13, he got Loney's Trigonometry book.

• He mastered this difficult book.

• He jot the result down in note books.

• The director of Madras Port Trust gave him a job.

• He sent a letter to G.H. Hardy.

• Hardy called him to the Cambridge.

• Life at Cambridge was not easy.

• He suffered from Tuberculosis.

• Later he was sent back to India.

C. Match the words with correct Synonym and Antonym from the table.       

Answer:

Word : Synonym × Antonym

1. distribute : circulate × collect

2. infinite : boundless × measurable

3. significant : important × trivial

4. delight : joy × sorrow

5. unkempt : messy × clean

6. initiate : commence × conclude

7. conjecture : guess × fact