Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Probability

There are 3 secretaries and 4 reports. What is the probability that each secretary gets atleast one report?
I figured out what the answer is but i want a generalised solution.

TIME!!

Hi everyone !
Well now that pre-boards are over hopefully there will be more of problem solving on this blog.
Here's an interesting question: Short and simple.
How many times are the hands of a clock at right angles in a day ?

(P.S. It is definitely more than 2 times)

Sunday, January 23, 2005

The Monkey and the Coconuts

Here's another nice question.....
Five men and a monkey were shipwrecked on a desert island, and they spent the first day gathering coconuts for food. Piled them up all together and then went off to sleep for the night.
But when they were all asleep one man woke up, and he thought there might be a row about dividing the coconuts in the morning, so he decided to take his share. So he divided the coconuts into five piles. He had one coconut left over, and he gave that to the monkey. He hid his piles and put all the rest back together.
By and by the next man woke up and did the same thing. And had one coconut left over and gave it to the monkey. And in the morning they divided what coconuts were left and they came out in five equal shares. Of course each one must have known there were coconuts missing; but each one was guilty as the others , so they didn't say anything. How many cocnuts were there in the beginning....?????
This problem is a very famous one. And I suggest that you think it over nicely before looking up the answer.

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Hi !!!

hi everyone, thanks for letting me join..
Does anyone know what is 'i' to the power 'i'?

Another thing.. someone asked me this question..
Spot the fallacy:
d/dx (x^2)=d/dx(x+x+x+x+x+x.........x times)
=d/dx(x)+d/dx(x)+.....x times
=1+1+1+1+1+1+1.. x times
=x

but d/dx(x^2) = 2x..

How is this possible?