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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does Kanigel characterize Ramanujan's developing approach to math?
(a) Materialistic.
(b) Semi-religious.
(c) Irreverent.
(d) Pragmatic.

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

3. Who was G. H. Hardy?
(a) Ramanujan's Colorado-author.
(b) Ramanujan's father-in-law.
(c) Ramanujan's boss.
(d) The mathematician who helped Ramanujan.

4. How does Kanigel describe the seriousness of Ramanujan's condition?
(a) Not life-threatening but uncomfortable.
(b) Debilitating.
(c) Life-threatening.
(d) Crippling.

5. When would Ramanujan and his wife consummate their marriage?
(a) It would depend on Ramanujan's career.
(b) As soon as she was chosen.
(c) Never--they were pledged to be chaste.
(d) When she was older.

6. What interrupted Ramanujan's wedding?
(a) Drunken relatives.
(b) A deranged woman.
(c) Objections from the girl's family.
(d) A fight.

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

8. Where did Ramanujan eventually find work?
(a) The British Indian Civil Service.
(b) A high school.
(c) His college.
(d) He worked for his patron.

9. Who comprised the Apostles?
(a) Undergrads.
(b) Religious leaders.
(c) Mathematicians.
(d) Practicing artists.

10. What does Kanigel say about Ramanujan's marriage?
(a) Both parties resisted it.
(b) There were omens of disaster.
(c) It had all the ingredients for a lovely match.
(d) It was seen as fortuitous.

11. Where did Ramanujan publish his first journal article?
(a) An Italian mathematics journal.
(b) An Indian mathematics journal.
(c) An American mathematics journal.
(d) An English mathematics journal.

12. Who wrote 'A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics'?
(a) Frank Nelson Cole.
(b) George Carr.
(c) William George Horner.
(d) Enrico Betti.

13. For how long would Ramanujan's condition persist?
(a) A few years.
(b) A few weeks.
(c) A few months.
(d) The rest of his life.

14. What was Ramanujan's college's nickname?
(a) Oxford of South India.
(b) The Bollytechnicum.
(c) Cambridge of South India.
(d) Harvard of South India.

15. What contributed to Ramanujan's status as a potential husband?
(a) He was handsome.
(b) He was wealthy.
(c) He was fat.
(d) He was monomaniacally interested in math.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was Ramanujan's caste?

2. Who is Namagiri?

3. When does Kanigel say Ramanujan got hold of 'A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics'?

4. What was Ramanujan's father's employment?

5. Who was Komalatammal?

(see the answer keys)

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