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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Ramanujan's Spring.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Kanigel say Ramanujan disliked as a child?
(a) Teachers.
(b) His family.
(c) Other children.
(d) Holidays.

2. How does Kanigel characterize Ramanujan's first paper?
(a) Exquisite.
(b) Immaculate.
(c) Detailed.
(d) Exciting but incomplete.

3. What were Ramanujan's parents getting impatient with?
(a) Ramanujan's failure to win prizes.
(b) Ramanujan's sloth.
(c) Ramanujan's insubordination.
(d) Ramanujan's scribbling in notebooks.

4. How does Kanigel describe life in Ramanujan's hometown?
(a) A middle class was just emerging.
(b) Childhood illness and death were common.
(c) Crushing poverty was the norm.
(d) People had every luxury.

5. What energy does Kanigel say Ramanujan redirected into mathematics?
(a) Religious devotion.
(b) Troublemaking.
(c) Political restlessness.
(d) Sexual desire.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Kanigel characterize Ramanujan's developing approach to math?

2. What was the effect of Ramanujan's childhood smallpox?

3. What was Ramanujan's caste?

4. Based on his letter, what was Hardy trying to determine about Ramanujan?

5. Why did Ramanujan leave school?

(see the answer key)

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