csatmedium
A gardener has 1000 plants. He wants to plant them in such a way that the number of rows and the number of columns remains the same. What is the minimum number of plants that he needs more for this purpose?
- A.14
- B.24
- C.32
- D.34
▶ Answer & Explanation
Correct answer: B. 24
The problem requires arranging 1000 plants in a square grid where the number of rows equals the number of columns. This means the total number of plants must be a perfect square. We need to find the smallest perfect square greater than 1000. Calculating squares, 31^2 = 961 and 32^2 = 1024. Thus, 1024 is the smallest perfect square greater than 1000. The gardener needs 1024 plants, and he currently has 1000, so he needs 1024 - 1000 = 24 more plants.
Source: UPSC csat 2013