Theory Of Numbers
What is the difference between numbers 439 191 and 43 91 91?
Statistically speaking, nothing. But there are situations, when they appear to be different. On a tense morning, some nine and half years back, June 15, 1995, that was exactly what had happened. For a split second, the same number was so different.
For the uninitiated, this very day is set aside for all India declaration of IIT-JEE results. I had given a mixed performance at the exams, a month back. A horribly bad Physics paper, an average Chemistry paper, a good multiple choice, objective paper, and a brilliant Mathematics paper.
Since this was the competition for the best engineering institute in the country, my chances were like that of finding a needle in a hay stack. Earlier, I had a dream as well, that I could not clear JEE. But internally, I was also aware that my hopes are not entirely dashed. There was still a thin rope to cling on.
But I had made everything clear to my parents. That exams had not gone well, and that I stand no chance. I didn't want them to nurture any false hopes. Dejected they were, but like me, they also internally felt the opposite. They thought I was telling a lie to keep the expectation low. Sometimes, parents are more confident of their wards, than the person in question itself.
Therefore, I wanted to see the results first. I didn't want anybody to tell me that I have not made it. I got up early waited for newspaper in the lawns. To my horror, I was soon joined by the entire family. While I was still trying to shoo them off, the paper landed. I was the first one to get it, and searched my roll number. It was surely there, against All India Rank 1270.
As soon as I heaved a sigh of relief, I saw the number on my father's hand. But wait a minute, it was a different one. I choked with shock because I had seen the wrong number. But soon, the haze got cleared. As a habit, I had memorized the number 3 digits a piece i.e. 439 191 while my father had written it as two digit a piece - 43 91 91.
In anxiety and excitement, the two appeared to me as different numbers. But once things got cleared, smiles came back. It was like receiving double joy that day.
Statistically speaking, nothing. But there are situations, when they appear to be different. On a tense morning, some nine and half years back, June 15, 1995, that was exactly what had happened. For a split second, the same number was so different.
For the uninitiated, this very day is set aside for all India declaration of IIT-JEE results. I had given a mixed performance at the exams, a month back. A horribly bad Physics paper, an average Chemistry paper, a good multiple choice, objective paper, and a brilliant Mathematics paper.
Since this was the competition for the best engineering institute in the country, my chances were like that of finding a needle in a hay stack. Earlier, I had a dream as well, that I could not clear JEE. But internally, I was also aware that my hopes are not entirely dashed. There was still a thin rope to cling on.
But I had made everything clear to my parents. That exams had not gone well, and that I stand no chance. I didn't want them to nurture any false hopes. Dejected they were, but like me, they also internally felt the opposite. They thought I was telling a lie to keep the expectation low. Sometimes, parents are more confident of their wards, than the person in question itself.
Therefore, I wanted to see the results first. I didn't want anybody to tell me that I have not made it. I got up early waited for newspaper in the lawns. To my horror, I was soon joined by the entire family. While I was still trying to shoo them off, the paper landed. I was the first one to get it, and searched my roll number. It was surely there, against All India Rank 1270.
As soon as I heaved a sigh of relief, I saw the number on my father's hand. But wait a minute, it was a different one. I choked with shock because I had seen the wrong number. But soon, the haze got cleared. As a habit, I had memorized the number 3 digits a piece i.e. 439 191 while my father had written it as two digit a piece - 43 91 91.
In anxiety and excitement, the two appeared to me as different numbers. But once things got cleared, smiles came back. It was like receiving double joy that day.
posted by Unknown at 10:02 AM
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