A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
Quiz | Easy like Sunday morning: on Mathematics
In the 1990s, scientist Clifford Pickover created virtual caverns from extremely simple numerical simulations.
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1 / 10 |
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought for three days between the Persian Empire and the Spartans in 480 BC. The Persians had a massive army, 10 times the size of the Spartans. Though outnumbered, the Spartans defended their homes by being better prepared and using the terrain wisely. This celebrated example of heroic persistence against seemingly impossible odds was made into a movie, the title of which refers to the number of Spartan Hoplit soldiers who heroically led the battle. What is the title, which is also the celebratory number of this quiz?
Answer : 300 (This is the 300th consecutive Easy Like Sunday Morning quiz!)
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2 / 10 |
This three-digit number is an emergency phone number that can be dialled free of charge from most mobile and fixed telephones in order to reach emergency services (ambulance, fire and rescue, police) in most of Europe and Asia. In use since 1976, the number was chosen since using two different digits instead of the same one reduced accidental calls. What number is this?
3 / 10 |
‘Pi’ is a mathematical constant, which is defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. First calculated by Archimedes, it is used in world-wide statistics, predicting weather patterns, and in other applications that require massive computational power. If you ever thought ‘How, I wish I could calculate pi’, then what is the value of pi to six decimal places?
Answer : 3.141592 (How, I wish I could calculate pi)
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4 / 10 |
‘2.718281828459’ is the base of natural logarithms and is most often used in equations involving logarithms, exponential growth and complex numbers. It plays a major role in mathematics, engineering and physics. It is also a rare number that is written as a letter from the English alphabet and is a reference to an 18th century Swiss mathematician. How is this number represented by mathematicians?
5 / 10 |
‘43252003274489856000’ is a very special number in the world of puzzles. This is the total number of configurations one can do with a particular puzzle invented by a Hungarian in 1974. In his words “A good puzzle, it’s a fair thing. Nobody is lying. It’s very clear, and the problem depends just on you.” What puzzle is this?
6 / 10 |
Belphegor’s prime number is a palindromic prime number with a particular three-digit number hiding between 13 zeros and a 1 on each side. The ominous number was named by scientist Cliff Pickover after Belphegor, one of the seven demon princes of hell in the Bible. The number even has its own symbol, which is an upside down ‘pi’, that looks like two horns. What is the three-digit number found in the middle of Belphegor’s prime number?
7 / 10 |
The Pythagoreans invested particular numbers with unique spiritual properties. This particular number was considered to be special as it consisted of the union of the number denoting physical and the one denoting spiritual. Which number is this that is the first natural number whose pronunciation contains more than one syllable?
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A toll-free number is a phone number with a three-digit prefix used to encourage customers to call a business as they don’t have to fear incurring call charges. Known as ‘party collect paid service’, it means the cost of the call is borne not by the caller but by the party receiving the call. The most popular such prefix was chosen by Bell labs because the numbers’ first numeral corresponded with the letter T, for ‘Toll-free’ on a standard phone dial. What number is this?
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Almost all cultures use a counting system based around the number 10 (evolved from using the fingers on hands to count). Ancient Sumerians used a Sexagesimal system based on the number of bones in each finger, which the Babylonians later adopted. This has a higher base number, which is more composite and has 12 factors. This led to easy division of fractions, a factor that influenced a particular unit all of us use every day. What is the base number for this system and what unit did it give us that is used globally?
Answer : 60, One hour is 60 minutes, one minute is 60 seconds
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10 / 10 |
This particular number, though one of the most important numerals in daily use, is also considered to be the last to be ‘invented’. It is known as a ‘neutral’ element, as it can be added to any number but will not change the value of the sum; and is known to be an ‘absorbing’ element in multiplication as everything that you multiply to it will still result in the same number. What number is this, which is also the name of a fantastic indie rock band who reunited recently onstage?
