Question

In a coastal village, every year floods destroy exactly half of the huts. After the flood water recedes, the same number of huts destroyed are rebuilt. The floods occurred consecutively in the last three years — 2001, 2002 and 2003. If floods are expected again in 2004, the number of huts expected to be destroyed is:

• A. less than the total number of huts destroyed at the beginning of 2001
• B. less than the total number of huts destroyed in 2001 and 2002
• C. exactly half the number of huts destroyed in 2002 and 2003
• D. more than the number of huts destroyed in 2002 and 2003

Hint:

For problems involving repeated halving, use geometric progression or fractional analysis to track the changes in quantity over time.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The number of huts destroyed and rebuilt is halved every year. Since each year half the huts are destroyed and rebuilt, the total number of huts destroyed in 2004 will be less than the total number of huts destroyed at the beginning of 2001.