Foundation Studies for Management

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1. A 25 meter long wound cable is cut into 2 and 3 meter long >pieces. How many different ways can this be
done if also the order of pieces of different lengths is taken into account?.
Ans. It must be cut in odd-number of 3 meter pieces, thus there can be one, three, five or seven 3-meter pieces,
along with eleven, eight, five or two 2-meter pieces. Now first combination of (1,11) can be cut in 12 ways,
(3,8) can be cut in 11C3=165 ways, (5,5) can be cut in 10C5 = 252 ways, (7,2) can be cut in 9C2 = 36. Thus
total of 12+165+252+36 = 465 ways. We take here combination formula since all 3-meter pieces and 2-meter
pieces would be non-distinct.
2. A gang of 17 pirates steal a sack of gold coins. When the start dividing the loot among them there was 3 coin
left. They start fighting for the 3 left over coins and a pirates was killed. They decided to re-divided the coins,
but again there was 10 coin left over. Again they fight and another pirates was killed. However they were
third time lucky as this time loot was equally distributed. Now tell the least no. of coin satisfying above
condition.
Ans. Coins are in multiple of 15, and 10 more than multiple of 16, also 3 more than multiple of 17. First number
satisfying first two conditions is 90 (15*6, 16*5+10). But on dividing by 17, we get reminder 5, so we need to
add number equal to multiple of LCM of 15 & 16 = 240. 240/17 gives reminder 2. Thus 5+2(16) = 37 gives
us reminder 3 on dividing by 17. Thus required number of coins should be 90+240(16) = 3930.
3. The coefficient of x^43 in the product (x-2)(x-5)(x- …….(x-131) is
A. 3087 B.4462 C.5084 D.2926
Ans. we have arithmetic progression 2,5,...131 so there are 44 terms. Co-efficient of x^43 will be sum of this
arithmetic progression
= 44/2[2*2+43*3] = 22[133] = 2926 (Do not do multiplication at the last stage, just check last digit).
4. A can hit a target 4 times in 5 shots; B 3 times in 4 shots ; and C 2 times in 3 shots. They all fire shot , find the
probability that 2 shots at least hit.?
Ans. 2 shots at least mean 2 or 3. Probability for 3 shots = 4/5*3/4*2/3 = 2/5. Probability of 2 shots = 1/5*3/4*2/3
+ 4/5*1/4*2/3 + 4/5*3/4*1/3 = 26/60 = 13/30. Required answer=2/5 + 13/30 = 25/30 = 5/6.
6. A regular octagon with sides 1 unit long is inscribed in a circle. Find the radius of the circle.
Ans. Drawing an octagon, at corner we can draw an isosceles right triangle with 45 degree angles, giving us side
of triangle 1/sqrt2. Thus radius of circle = 1/2 + 1/sqrt2 = (1+sqrt2)/2
7. The pages of a report are numbered consecutively from 1 to 10. If the sum of the page numbers up to and
including page number x of the report is equal to one more than the sum of the page numbers following page
number x, then x =
(A) 4 (B) 5 (C) 6 (D) 7 (E) 8
Logically thinking options 4 & 5 are not possible. Between 6,7 & 8 can try middle number so as to get clrear
idea.1+2+3+4+5+6+7=28,8+9+10=27, hence the answer. Can use Sigma formula if the numbers are large.
9. Two people agree to meet at a given place between noon and 1 p.m. By agreement, the first one to arrive will
wait 15 min for the second, after which he will leave. What is the probability that the meeting actually take
place if each of them selects his moment of arrival at random during 12 noon to 1 p.m?
Ans. Probability of arrival during any minute for the first person remains 1/60. Thus we get required probability =
1/60(15/60+16/60+17/60+18/60+...+30/60+30/60+30/60..(31times)+29/60+28/60+...1/60) [first person
arriving in 1-14 minute for first 14 terms, 15 to 45 minutes for next thirty one minutes, and 46 to 60 minutes
for next 14 terms]. Thus we get 2/3600(15+16...14terms+30*31) = 1/1800(930+308)=1238/1800=~2/3.
10. A positive no n, not exceeding 100 is chosen in such a way that if n is less than or equal to 50, then
probabilities of choosing n is p and if n > 50 then it is 3p. What is the probability of choosing a square?
Ans. Since probability cannot be more than 1, I assume the probability of choosing a number n<50 should be p.
Now, less than 50, there are 7 perfect squares. Thus probability is p*7/49. Also greater than 50 and up to 100,
we have 3 perfect squares. Hence probability is 3/51*3p. Thus probability of choosing a square = p/7+3p/17 =
38p/119.
11. What is the greatest area of a rectangle the sum of whose 3 sides is equal = 100.
Ans. Given is 2a+b = 100, and area = ab. Assuming 2a = x, we get x+b=100, and area = 1/2xb. Now area will be
maximum when x = b, or a = b/2. Thus a = 25, & b = 50, maximum area = 1250.
12. A plane figure consists of a rectangle and an equilateral triangle constructed on one side of the rectangle. How
large is the area of that figure in the term of perimeter.
Ans. 6+ sqrt(3)/132 p^2.
13. A reservoir is shaped like a regular triangle. A ferry boat goes from point A to point B both located on the
bank. A cyclist who has to get form A to B can use the ferry boat or to ride along the bank. What is the least
ratio between the speed of cyclist and the speed of the boat at which the use of the boat does not give any gain
in time, the location of the point A and B being arbitrary?
Ans. Though the question is not very clear as to points A and B are on same side of the triangular reservoir or
different, but assuming to be different since ratio would be 1 otherwise. P

A B

Q R
Minimum ratio between Sboat and Scyclist will be when ratio of distance between AB by boat & by cycle is
minimum, and that will be when AB is parallel to QR, and required ratio will be AB/(AP+PB) = ½.
14. In a party with 1982 persons, among any group of four there is at least one person who knows each of the
other three. What is the minimum no. of people in the party who know everyone else?
Ans. Only three person may not know others, hence at least 1979 people know every one else. Group of any four
persons would involve all the various combinations, hence even if there are just 4 people not knowing
everyone, condition will not be satisfied.
15. A chord PQ is drawn on a circle. If the length of PQ is equal to the radius of the circle, then what is the
probability that any line drawn at random from point P through the circle is smaller than PQ
A. 1/2 B. 1/3 C. 2/3 D. 3/5.
Ans. Question is same as probability of drawing a cord random in the circle of length less than or equal to radius
asked in previous 20 questions. Answer is 1/3.
16. Between 2 station the first, second and the third class fares were fixed in the ratio 8:6:3, but afterwards the
first class were reduced by 1/6 and second class by 1/12. In a year no. of first second and third class passenger
were in ratio 9:12:26 and the money at the booking counter was 1326. How much was paid by the first class
passenger?
A. 320 B. 390 C.420 D. None. Of these.
Ans. Since revenue = number × fare, we can directly multiply ratio terms. Thus ratio of revenue from three
classes = 8×5/6×9:6×11/12×12:3×26 = 60:66:78 = 10:11:13. The first class passengers paid 1326×10/34 =
390, hence (B).
17. A magician has one hundred cards numbered 1 to 100. He puts them into three boxes, a red one, a white one,
and a blue one, so that each box contains at least one card. A member of the audience selects two of the three
boxes, chooses one card from each, and announces the sum of the numbers on the chosen cards. Given this
sum, the magician identifies the box from which no card has been chosen. How many ways are there to put all
the cards into the boxes so that this trick always works?
(Two ways are considered different if at least one card is put into a different box.)
Ans. Only way to distribute cards is multiples of 3 in one box, one more than multiples of 3 in second, and 2 more
than multiples of 3 in third. This way he can distributes cards in 6 ways (3!).
18. On a circle are marked 999 points. How many ways are there to assign to each point one of the letters A, B, or
C, so that on the arc between any two points marked with the same letter, there are an even number of letters
differing from these two?
Ans. Since the rule applies to every letter, they have to be in order A-B-C-A-B-C… or A-C-B-A-C-B…Thus only
two ways.
19. On a train are riding 175 passengers and 2 conductors. Each passenger buys a ticket only after the third time
she is asked to do so. The conductors take turns asking a passenger who does not already have a ticket to buy
one, doing so until all passengers have bought tickets. How many tickets can the conductor who goes first be
sure to sell?
Ans. When conductors take turn to ask for tickets, first conductor will ask 88 and second 87 in first round. On
second round this numbers will interchange. On third asking, when every passenger will buy tickets, first
conductor will be able to sell 88 tickets. Also if it is that first conductor asks every passenger once before
second conductor starts, first conductor will be able to sell 175 tickets on his second round. Question seems to
be incomplete or not worded well.
20. Around a table are seated representatives of n countries (n greater than or equal to 2), such that if two
representatives are from the same country, their neighbors on the right are from two different countries.
Determine, for each n, the maximum number of representatives.
21. 98 points are given on a circle. Maria and Joe take turns drawing a segment between two of the points which
have not yet been joined by a segment. The game ends when each point has been used as the endpoint of a
segment at least once. The winner is the player who draws the last segment. If Joe goes first, who has a
winning strategy?
Ans. Total segments that can be drawn are 98C2 = 97*49=4753. Since odd number, Joe has the winning chances.
22. A computer screen shows a 98 * 98 chessboard, colored in the usual way. One can select with a mouse any
rectangle with sides on the lines of the chessboard and click the mouse button: therefore, the colors in the
selected rectangle switch (black becomes white, white becomes black). Find, the minimum number of mouse
clicks needed to make the chessboard all one color.
Ans. When alternate columns are selected and switched colours, we get each row of same color, with alternate
rows of different colors. Thus we need 49 clicks to get this result. Next 49 clicks on alternate rows will get us
chess board of same color, hence 98.
23. A farmer has four straight pieces of fencing: 1, 2, 3, and 4 yards in length. What is the maximum area he can
enclose by connecting the pieces?
Ans. Cyclic quadrilateral of sides 1,2,3,4 will give the maximum area, thus area = √(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)(s-d) =
√1×2×3×4 = 2√6.
24. Somewhere in Northern Asia, group of 20 men were planning a special group suicide this year. Each of them
will be placed in a random position along a thin, 100 meter long plank of wood which is floating in the sea.
Each man is equally likely to be facing either end of the plank. At time t=0, all of them walk forward at a
slow speed of 1 meter per minute. If a man bumps into another man, the two both reverse directions. If a man
falls off the plank, he drowns. What is the longest time that must elapse till all the men have drowned?
Ans. If these 20 men are equally spaced with successive men facing alternate end, we would get the maximum
time. Say men stand at distance of 5meters beginning 2.5 from both end and the person closest to one end
facing other end. First time all 20 would bump into one another after 2.5 minutes at 5, 15,25 …meters. 5
minutes then after 2 men will be drowned, and 18 would bump in each other at 10, 20, 30… meters. 10
minutes then after 2 more will be drowned and remaining 16 would bump in each other at 15, 25, 35…
meters. Similarly progressing we get 2.5+(5+10+15+20+..+50) = 552.5 minutes.
25. I have chosen a number from 1 to 144, inclusive. You may pick a subset (1, 2, .. 144), i.e. U can frame any
subset based on AP, GP, or any other thing and then ask me whether my number is in the subset. An answer
of "yes" will cost you 2 dollars, an answer of "no" only 1-dollar. What is the smallest amount of money you
will need to be sure to find my number?
Ans. $1, since the set itself can be chosen and be sure to get your number within my set.
26. The side lengths of a triangle and the diameter of its incircle are four consecutive integers in an arithmetic
progression. Find all such triangles.
Ans. If sides of triangle are x-1, x, x+1; semi-perimeter, s = 3x/2. Thus area = √s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c) =
√3x/2×(x+2)/2×x/2×(x-2)/2 = x/4×√3(x2-4). Also r = ∆/s = 1/2√3×√(x2-4). Now diameter of in-circle must be
less than the smallest side, therefore dia should be x-2. (x-2)/2 = 1/2√3×√(x+2)(x-2) ∴ squaring, we get
3(x-2)2 =(x-2)(x+2) ∴ 3x-6 = x+2 or x=8. Thus sides should be 7, 8, 9 and diameter of incircle should be 6.
Since we get a simple equation for x, there is only one such triangle.
27. A 10-digit number is said to be interesting if its digits are all distinct and it is a multiple of 11111. How many
interesting integers are there?