AptiDose 1.0 - Vol III
Fortnightly dose of aptitude questions, logical challenges and essential prep tips!
Brain Booster
Divide each rectangle, A and B, into six symmetric L shapes that are one square wide so that each L contains exactly one dot.
Magic Math
Multiplication by 11
Step 1: The last digit of the multiplicand (number multiplied) is put down as the right-hand figure of the answer.
→ 723*11
The multiplicand is 723 → last digit is 3 → So 3 is the right-hand digit of the answer.
Step 2: Each successive digit of the multiplicand is added to its neighbour at the left. Keep on writing the numbers thus obtained to the left of the first digit, which is 3.
→ In 723*11
Add 3 to 2 → 5, and 2 to 7 → 9
We get 953 till the end of this step.
Step 3: The first digit of the multiplicand becomes the left-hand digit of the answer
→ In 723*11
The first digit of 723 is 7. → The final answer is 7953.
Example 1: 612*11 = ?
Right-hand digit is 2 which is written as such; adding successive digits from right to left, add 2 to 1 à 3; add 1 to 6 à 7; left most digit 6 is written down as such
Answer = 6732
Example 2: 649*11 = ?
Right-hand digit 9 is written down as such; adding successive digits from right to left, add 9 to 4 → 13, 1 is carried forward (CF) and 3 is written as such; add 4 to 6 → 10, to which the 1 which was CF is added to get 11, 1 is written as such and 1 is CF; left-most digit is 6, to which 1, that was CF, is added to get 7 as the left-most digit.
Answer = 7139
Example 3: 389765432*11 = ?
Right-hand digit 2 is written down as such; adding successive digits from right to left, add 2 to 3 → 5; add 3 to 4 → 7; add 4 to 5 → 9; add 5 to 6 → 11, 1 is carried forward (CF) and 1 is written as such; add 6 to 7 → 13, to which the 1 which was CF is added to get 14, 4 is written as such, and 1 is CF; add 7 to 9 → 16, to which 1 is added to get 17, 7 written and 1 CF; add 9 to 8 → 17, to which 1 is added to get 18, 8 is written and 1 CF; add 8 to 3 → 11, to which 1 added to get 12, 2 is written and 1 CF; left-most digit is 3, to which 1 that was CF, is added to get 4
Answer = 4287419752
Words Worth
Hitting where it hurts: On U.S. B-1 business visa curbs
As the U.S. election nears, work visas have become policy targets for the White House. The Trump administration has once again tightened the screws on the country’s immigration system in a manner that is likely to directly impact Indian companies contracting with American firms for on-site work. This week the State Department proposed to stop issuing temporary or B-1 business visas relating to occupations normally classified as falling under the H-1B speciality or skilled visa category. The argument is that under the guise of the business-related entry of personnel, companies were sending their technology professionals for short-term stays to work on U.S. jobs, potentially undercutting the wages and employment prospects of U.S. workers. The proposed policy action, just ahead of the November 3 presidential election, is significant for following closely on the heels of other, similar moves to tighten restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals, including raising the minimum salaries payable to those applying for H-1B visas and to stop the issuance of such visas entirely until December 31, 2020. Taken together, it would be reasonable to expect a painful economic fallout on legal skilled migration from India. For example, the analysts predict that Mr. Trump’s June 22, 2020 ban on new H-1B visa issuance could impact up to 219,000 workers, who would be unable to take up potential jobs in the U.S.
To date, there has been no retaliatory policy from India, at most perhaps diplomatic parleys where South Block has sought to emphasise that technology and innovation via the trade in services remain a key pillar of the bilateral strategic partnership and highly-skilled Indian professionals working in the U.S. help bridge the skill gap there, imparting a technological and competitive edge. In the backdrop of the steady clampdown on visa issuance is Mr. Trump’s To date, there has been no retaliatory policy from India, at most perhaps diplomatic parleys where South Block has sought to emphasise that technology and innovation via the trade in services remain a key pillar of the bilateral strategic partnership and highly-skilled Indian professionals working in the U.S. help bridge the skill gap there, imparting a technological and competitive edge. In the backdrop of the steady clampdown on visa issuance is Mr. Trump’s rhetoric on protecting U.S. jobs from foreigners, especially in cases where lower wages drive substitution effects. The pressure on the White House to increase the cadence of the drumbeat for this form of “protectionism” has risen owing to the pandemic’s job-killing effects. U.S. joblessness spiked to an unprecedented 14.7% in April 2020. While it has dropped off since then, the country has entered the final phases of electoral campaigning, which has seen sharp attacks by Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Mr. Trump’s alleged failure to mitigate the economic crisis. When considered alongside the fact that Mr. Trump is steadily losing ground in federal and regional opinion polls, it is hardly surprising that areas of legal migration, including skilled workers entering the U.S. via the H-1B programme, have become policy targets for the White House. It would be wise for Indian IT firms and others seeking to send their employees to the U.S. for short-term work to assume that regardless of who wins the election, it will be a long time, if ever, before they can hope to return to business as usual. on protecting U.S. jobs from foreigners, especially in cases where lower wages drive substitution effects. The pressure on the White House to increase the cadence of the drumbeat for this form of “protectionism” has risen owing to the pandemic’s job-killing effects. U.S. joblessness spiked to an unprecedented 14.7% in April 2020. While it has dropped off since then, the country has entered the final phases of electoral campaigning, which has seen sharp attacks by Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Mr. Trump’s alleged failure to mitigate the economic crisis. When considered alongside the fact that Mr. Trump is steadily losing ground in federal and regional opinion polls, it is hardly surprising that areas of legal migration, including skilled workers entering the U.S. via the H-1B programme, have become policy targets for the White House. It would be wise for Indian IT firms and others seeking to send their employees to the U.S. for short-term work to assume that regardless of who wins the election, it will be a long time, if ever, before they can hope to return to business as usual.
Guise (as a noun)
Meaning: An external form, appearance, or manner of presentation Usage: He visited in the guise of an inspector. Similar: Likeness
Guised, Guising (as a verb)
Meaning: To dress ` Usage: The children guised as cowboys. Similar: To appear
Retaliatory (adjective)
Meaning: (of an action) characterized by a desire for revenge. Usage: Fears of a retaliatory attack by the victim's friends. Similar: Correctional, Punishing
Parleys (as a noun)
Meaning: A conference between opposing sides in a dispute Usage: A parley is in progress and the invaders may withdraw. Similar: Negotiation, Meeting
Parleyed, Parleying, To parley (as a verb)
Meaning: Hold a conference with the opposing side to discuss terms. Usage: They disagreed over whether to parley with the enemy. Similar: Talk, Confer
Rhetoric (noun)
Meaning: Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content. Usage: All we have from the Opposition is empty rhetoric. Similar: Bragging, Boasting
Clampdown (noun)
Meaning: A sudden action taken by a government or people in authority to stop or limit a particular activity
Usage: In the wake of the attacks, a temporary security clampdown at border crossings has created major traffic jams.
Similar: Prevention, Stopping
Cadence (noun)
Meaning: A modulation or inflection of the voice.
Usage: We were happy when our fast-talking professor started to speak in a slow cadence we could understand Similar: Measure, Pulse
Drumbeat (noun)
Meaning: (the sound of) a single hit on a drum, Persistent advocacy of a cause Usage: In the hearings the Democrats maintained an incessant drumbeat of criticism.
Similar: Vehement
Mitigate (verb)
Meaning: make (something bad) less severe, serious, or painful. Usage: It is unclear how to mitigate the effects of tourism on the island.
Similar: Lighten, Relieve
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/hitting-where-it-hurts-the-hindu-editorial-on-us-b-1-business-visa-curbs/article32932898.ece
Answers:
Brain Booster
