Question of the day

Question of the Day (16-Jun-11)

Consider m Arithmetic Progressions with n terms each. The first terms of
the APs are 1, 2, 3, 4, .... m 1, m and their common differences are 1, 3, 5, 7,
..... 2m 3, 2m 1 respectively.
If S
r
is the sum of all terms of the r
th
AP, find the value of S
1
+ S
2
+ S
3
+ .... + S
m-1
+
S
m
.

OPTIONS


1) (mn 2) (mn 2n + 1)

2) (mn 2) (mn + 2n + 1)

3) (mn 2) (mn + 1)

4) (mn 2) (mn n
2
+ 1)




The first term and the common difference of the r
th
A. P. is r and 2r 1
respectively.

We know that the sum of k terms of an A. P. having the first term as a and
common difference as d is:

(k 2) [2a + (k-1)d].

Hence, the sum of the n terms of the r
th
A. P. is (n 2) [2r + (n 1)(2r 1)]
which can be simplified to 0.5 (2n
2
r - n
2
+ n).

When we sum this expression over all the m progressions, r varies from 1
to m while ncomes out of the summation since it is a constant.

Hence, the summation is (n
2
r) - {0.5 (n
2
- n) 1}.

r = 0.5 m(m + 1) and 1 = m.

The value of the summation turns out to be: (mn 2) (mn + 1).

Hence, option 3.

Wordlist

lyceum [ lahy-SEE-uh m ]
[noun]
MEANING :
1. an organisation or association that conducts lectures, discussions, concerts, etc.
2. a building or hall where public lectures or discussions are held
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
The Ram Krishna mission is a lyceum, whose lectures and concerts are always well
attended.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
The Shawshank Redemption and Bull Durham, will take the play to the Royal
Lyceum in Edinburgh in the middle of August.
The Telegraph, Sarandon will star at fringe, By Auslan Cramb, 05/03/2003


abash [ uh'-BASH ]
[transitive verb]
MEANING :
to disconcert, embarrass or make queasy
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
He was abashed by her candid questions.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
I moved on, abashed, angry, and confused.
Telegraph, Auld acquaintance or a new con trick? , By Michael Simkins , 02
Jan 2009


dexterity [ dek-STER-i-tee ]
[noun]
MEANING :
1. agility, skill or adroitness
2. cleverness or mental skill
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
He called magic using coins and cards a means to showcase finger dexterity.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Mental arithmetic has become as integral a part of Scotland's qualification
campaign as mental dexterity.
The Herald, After thrill of victory, manager dares to bring out calculator,
DARRYL BROADFOOT, March 25 2007


dingy [ DIN-jee ]
[adjective]
MEANING :
1. (adj.) pertaining to dark or dull atmosphere
2. (adj.) shabby or dirty coloured
3. (adj.) lacking brightness or freshness
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
The student could barely afford to pay the rent for the dingy room.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Whether you're into exclusive bars, dingy dives or the dubious pleasures of a
sweaty moshpit, Seattle has plenty to keep you entertained.
CNN, Seattle: Where to be seen, 5 November 2008.


crypt [ kript ]
[noun]
MEANING :
1. an underground burial chamber or vault beneath a church
2. a slender pit or a small glandular cavity
USAGE EXAMPLE 1:
They found maps and other notations on parchments in the crypt.
USAGE EXAMPLE 2:
Michael Jackson's body has been moved to a basement to prevent grieving
fans from breaking in to the crypt near Los Angeles where it was first
hidden.
The Telegraph, Heidi Blake, 14 July 2009.


RC Passage of the Day

Obama signs debt celing bill, averts economic crisis

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama today signed into law a bill that raises the
nation's borrowing limit and avoids a possible debt default after it was passed by the Senate
to avert a major economic crisis at the last moment.

This gave the US Treasury Department an immediate authority to borrow USD 400 billion.
The government had hit its debt limit of USD 14.3 trillion on May 16 and has since been
operating through spending and accounting adjustments.

The President has signed the bill and turned it into law, White House Press Secretary Jay
Carney told reporters, when his aide slipped him a note in this regard, in the middle of his
daily news conference.

The signing of bill came within hours of the Senate passing the austerity plan that seeks to
reduce the deficit by USD 2.4 trillion.

The Senate voted 74 to 26 in favour of the bill after it was passed by the US House of
Representatives following weeks of political wrangling between the Democrats and the
Republicans.

Obama, just before signing the bill, in a speech said, "It was a long and contentious debate,
and I want to thank the American people for keeping up the pressure on their elected
officials to put politics aside and work together for the good of the country."

This compromise guarantees more than USD 2 trillion in deficit reduction. It's an important
first step to ensuring that, as a nation, it should live within its means. he said.

He added: "Yet it also allows us to keep making key investments in things like education and
research that lead to new jobs, and assures that we're not cutting too abruptly while the
economy's still fragile."