MADHAVA MATHEMATICS COMPETITION

(A Mathematics Competition for Undergraduate Students)

Organized by
Department of Mathematics, S. P. College, Pune
and
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, T.I.F.R., Mumbai

Date: 23/01/2022 Max. Marks: 50

Time: 12.00 noon to 1.30 p.m.
N.B.: Part I carries 20 marks, Part II carries 20 marks and Part III carries 10
marks.
Part I: MCQ with single correct answer
N.B. Each question in Part I carries 2 marks for correct the answer and -1 mark
for a wrong answer.

1. Let the sequence {xn } be defined as follows: x1 = 1 and xn is the smallest prime factor
of n. Then the sequence {xn }

(a) is monotonic
(b) diverges to infinity
(c) has a convergent subsequence
(d) is not bounded below

Ans:(c)

2. The equation x6 − x − 1 = 0 has

(a) no positive real root

(b) exactly one positive real root
(c) exactly two positive real roots
(d) all roots are real and positive

Ans:(b)
2 + 3i sin θ
3. The value of θ (0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2) for which the number is purely imaginary is
1 − 2i sin θ
(a) π/6
(b) π/3
√
(c) sin−1 ( 3/4)
√
(d) sin−1 (1/ 3)

Ans:(d)

4. Consider the curve y = 2x4 + 7x3 + 3x − 5. Let Pi = (xi , yi ) be four distinct points of
x1 + x2 + x3 + x4
intersection of a line with the given curve. Then the value of is
4
(a) −7/8
(b) −7/2
(c) 7/8
(d) 7/2

Ans:(a)
5. If one root of the equation x2 + px + 12 = 0 is 4 while the equation x2 + px + q = 0 has
equal roots, the value of q is

(a) 4/49
(b) 49/4
(c) −49/4
(d) −4/49

Ans:(b)

6. Which of the following equations has greatest number of real solutions?

(a) x3 = 10 − x
(b) x2 + 5x − 7 = x + 8
(c) 7x + 5 = 1 − 3x
(d) ex = x

Ans:(b)

7. Let gcd(a, b) = 1, then gcd(a + b, a2 − ab + b2 ) =

(a) 2
(b) 1 or 2
(c) 1 or 3
(d) 2 or 3

Ans:(c)

8. Suppose f is continuous in [0, 2] and differentiable in (0, 2). If f (0) = 0 and |f 0 (x)| ≤ 1/2
for all x ∈ [0, 2], then

(a) |f (x)| ≤ 1
(b) |f (x)| ≤ 1/2
(c) f (x) = 2x
(d) f (x) = 3 for at least one x ∈ [0, 2].

Ans:(a)

9. Let A = {a, b, c, d} and B = {1, 2, 3}. The number of functions from A to B such that
exactly one element in B has two pre-images is

(a) 12
(b) 18
(c) 24
(d) 36

Ans:(d)
 10. Consider a square matrix A = [aij ] of order 3, all whose entries are either 0 or 1. Five
of these entries are 1 and four of them are 0. Also aij = aji for all 1 ≤ i, j ≤ 3. Then
the number of such matrices is

(a) 12
(b) 9
(c) 3
(d) 1

Ans:(a)

Part II: Numerical Questions

N.B. The answer to each question in Part II is an integer. Each question in Part
II carries 2 marks. No marks will be deducted for wrong answer.
 
3 −2
1. If the matrix A = satisfies the equation A2 − kA + 2I = 0, then the value of
4 −2
k is .....

Ans: 1
100
X
2. The remainder when r! is divided by 12 is .....
r=1

Ans: 9

3. 31 × 31/2 × 31/4 × 31/8 × · · · =

Ans: 9

4. Let f be a differentiable real valued function on (−1, 4) such that f (3) = 5 and
f 0 (x) ≥ −1 for all x. Then the greatest possible value of f (0) is .....

Ans: 8

5. Suppose the remainder when x81 + x49 + x25 + x9 + x is divided by x3 − x is ax2 + bx + c.

Then the value of b is .....

Ans: 5

6. If the sum of the series a+ar+ar2 +· · · is 4 and the sum of the series a3 +a3 r3 +a3 r6 +· · ·
is 192. Then the value of a is .....

Ans: 6
1 1 1
7. The sum of the series 1 + + + ··· + + · · · is .....
1+2 1+2+3 1 + 2 + ··· + n
Ans: 2

8. The number of ways to write 5 = a1 + a2 + · · · + ak , where all ai are integers satisfying

1 ≤ a1 ≤ a2 ≤ · · · ≤ ak ≤ a1 + 1 is .....

Ans: 5
 9. The number of solutions of sin5 x + cos5 x = 1 in [0, π] is .....

Ans: 2

10. If A = [aij ] is a square matrix of order 5 such that the entry aij = 1 if and only if i = j
or i + j = 6, and 0 otherwise, then the rank of A is .....

Ans: 3

Part III: Multiple Select Questions

N.B. Each question in Part III carries 2 marks. No marks will be deducted for
wrong answer. Each question may have more than one correct alternatives. A
candidate gets 2 marks if he/she selects all the correct answers only and no wrong
answers.

1. If the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, (a > 0) has two roots α, β such that α < −2 and
β > 2, then

(a) b2 − 4ac > 0

(b) c < 0
(c) a + |b| + c < 0
(d) 4a + 2|b| + c < 0

Ans: (a),(b),(c),(d).

2. Let f : R → R be a continuous function and a ∈ R. Define g : [a, ∞) → R as

g(x) = sup{f (t) : t ∈ [a, x]}. Then

(a) g is continuous
(b) g is monotonically decreasing
(c) g is monotonically increasing
(d) g is differentiable whenever f is differentiable.

Ans: (a),(c).

3. Let {an } and {bn } be two sequences of non-zero real numbers. We say that {an } and
an
{bn } are almost equal if lim = 1. Which of the following sequences are almost
n→∞ bn
equal?
√
(a) an = n + n, bn = n.
√
(b) an = n2 + n, bn = n.
(c) an = n!, bn = nn .
(d) an = (1 + n1 )n , bn = e.

Ans: (a),(d).
 f (k) − f (m)
4. For which of the following functions f : R → R the ratio is constant for
k−m
all k, m (k 6= m)?

(a) f (x) = x2 + x
(b) f (x) = x + |x|
(c) f (x) = 4x + 7
(d) f (x) = |x|

Ans: (c).

5. Let α be a 2022nd root of unity. Then which of the following are possible values of
1 + α + α2 + · · · + α2021 ?

(a) 0
(b) i
(c) 2021
(d) 2022

Ans:(a),(d)