Important Questions Class 8 Chapter 4.4 Balbharati English Maharashtra Board

Ramanujan

Short Questions

1. Who received a letter from Ramanujan in 1913?

• Hardy received a letter from Ramanujan in 1913.

2. What was Ramanujan’s profession before going to England?

• He was a poor clerk in Madras (Chennai).

3. Why did Hardy find the manuscript uninteresting at first?

• It had no proofs and looked wild or fraudulent.

4. What changed Hardy’s mind about Ramanujan?

• He realized Ramanujan was a genius after re-reading the theorems.

5. Who did Hardy call for a discussion after reading the script?

• He called Littlewood for a discussion.

6. Why was it difficult for Ramanujan to go to England?

• His religious beliefs and his mother’s strictness prevented him initially.

7. How did Ramanujan’s mother finally allow him to go?

• She had a divine dream commanding her to let him go.

8. What number did Ramanujan find interesting?

• He found 1729 interesting as the sum of two cubes in two ways.

9. Why couldn’t Ramanujan enter Madras University?

• He failed to matriculate in English.

10. What caused Ramanujan’s death?

• He died of tuberculosis two years after the war.

Long Questions

1. Describe Hardy’s first reaction to Ramanujan’s manuscript.

• Hardy found the envelope messy and the content full of wild theorems with no proofs. He initially thought it was a fraud and put it aside, feeling bored and irritated.

2. How did Hardy eventually realize Ramanujan’s brilliance?

• Though skeptical at first, Hardy couldn’t stop thinking about the unusual theorems. After discussing with Littlewood, he realized they were dealing with a true genius.

3. Why was Hardy eager to bring Ramanujan to England?

• Hardy was convinced of Ramanujan’s exceptional talent and believed that he needed better opportunities to grow, which England could provide.

4. What role did Ramanujan’s mother play in his journey to England?

• Initially reluctant, she eventually allowed him to go after dreaming that the goddess of Namakkal wanted Ramanujan to fulfill his destiny.

5. How did Ramanujan adjust to life at Trinity College?

• He lived simply, cooked his own food to maintain his rituals, and continued his work in mathematics despite cultural and personal challenges.

6. Describe the relationship between Hardy and Ramanujan.

• Their bond was built on mutual respect. Though their conversations were sometimes difficult due to cultural differences, Hardy admired Ramanujan’s genius.

7. What was unusual about Ramanujan’s mathematical knowledge?

• Ramanujan was mostly self-taught, unaware of formal proofs, yet had deep intuitive insight, making his talent unique and impressive.

8. How did Hardy try to help Ramanujan understand formal mathematics?

• Hardy tutored him like a scholarship student, trying to bridge the gap between Ramanujan’s instinctive genius and the modern rigorous methods.

9. What honors did Ramanujan receive in England?

• He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and Trinity College, becoming the first Indian to receive both honors at a young age.

10. What is the significance of the number 1729 in Ramanujan’s story?

• It’s remembered as the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways, highlighting Ramanujan’s incredible numerical insight.