Article prepared with help of Mr. Deepak Singh.

There are two main types of questions from Calendar when youre given a reference day What day of week was it on 5th November, 1989 if it was Monday on 4th April, 1988 ? a. Monday b. Tuesday c. Saturday d. Sunday Here question tells us that 4 April 88 was Monday, so we have a reference day.
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when youre given no reference Day What was the day on 15 august 1947? a. Sunday b. Monday c. Tuesday d. Friday Here question doesnt give us any reference day.
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can be solved with just two concepts need to just mugup 2 table, and few 1. 7 day cycle steps. 2. day gain-Day loss concept Although calendar question is not asked every year in every exam. But If and when calendar question is asked, just follow the given procedure and youll get the accurate answer= one mark is guaranteed=in that sense, cost: benefit is great. Concept: 7 Day cycle

Name of the day will repeat after seven days. st st th 1 August 2013= Thursday. Therefore 1 August + 7 =8 August also has to be Thursday. th Then what day will be 10 August 2013? st 1 August =Thursday => 1+7=8 August is also Thursday And 8 August + 2 =10 August will be Thursday + 2 days =>Saturday. lets try a simple question from SSC SSC-CGL 2000 Question on 7-Day cycle th st If 9 of the month falls on the day preceding Sunday, then on what day will 1 of the month fall? a. Friday b. Saturday c. Sunday d. Monday th As per the question 9 of the Month=Saturday. (day preceding Sunday) Day name repeats after 7 days. nd Therefore 9 minus 7=2 of the given month is also Saturday. st Then 1 of the given month= Saturday Minus one day = Friday, Ans A Concept: Day Gain Day loss +1 year When we proceed forward by one year, then 1 day is gained and vice-versa. Example, th th 9 August 2013 is Friday, therefore 9 August 2014 has to be Friday+1=Saturday. Reverse is also true. When we move backward by one year, then 1 day is lost. th th 9 August 2014 is Saturday, therefore 9 August 2013 has to be Saturday minus 1=Friday. When we proceed forward by one leap year, then 2 days are gained and vice-versa. Example If it is Wednesday on 10th august 2011 then it would be Friday (Wednesday +2) on 10th august 2012 [because 2012 is a leap year]. The reverse is also correct: If 22nd April, 1988 = Friday , then 22nd April,1987 = Wednesday. (-2 days)

+2 Leap Year

Exception to Leap Year day gain day loss the date must have crossed 28th February if the coming year is a leap year for adding 2 days otherwise add 1 day. For e.g. If 26th January 2011 is Wednesday then 26th January 2012 would be Thursday (even if 2012 is leap year we have added +1 day, because 28th of February is not crossed). If 23rd March 2011 is Wednesday then 23rd march 2012 would be Friday (+2 days. As 28th February of leap year is crossed). What is Leap year? A normal year has 365 days. A leap year has 366 days (the extra day is the 29th of February) A year which is divisible by 4 is a leap year except, if it is divisible by 100 then we have to check it by dividing by 400. For e.g. 1. 1988, 2008, 2012, 2016 etc. all are leap years as divided by 4. 2. 2000, 2400, 1600 etc. all are leap as divided by 400 (100 and 4 too). 3. 1700, 1800, 2100, 2200 etc. are not leap years as they are not divisible by 400 (even if they are divisible by 4). Lets try a sum SSC Investigator 2010 (Anniversary) th On 5 December 1993, Nirmala and Raju celebrated their anniversary on Sunday. What will be the day on their anniversary in 1997? a. Wednesday b. Thursday c. Friday d. Tuesday Normal year jump +1 gain; Leap year jump +2 gain. years day gain 1994 1995 1996 (leap year) 1997 1 1 2 1

total days 5 Sunday plus five days 1. Monday 2. Tue 3. Wed 4. Thursday 5. Friday Answer (C) Friday lets try one more with a bit difference: SSC CGL 2011 (Anniversary) th Mrs. Susheela celebrated her wedding anniversary on Tuesday 30 September 1997. What will she celebrate her next wedding anniversary on same day (Tuesday)? 1. 30 Sept 2003 2. 30 Sept 2004 3. 30 Sept 2002 4. 30 October 2003 After 7 days=> day name will repeat th 30 September day gain 1998 99 2000 (leap) 2001 2002 2003 1 1 2 1 1 1

total days 7 th Meaning whatever was the day on 30 sep. 1997 itll repeat on 2003 th Therefore, after 1997, next time Mrs.Susheelas anniversary will be on same Tuesday on 30 September 2003 Ans A. Now, How about a CAT level question:

CAT-2001 Question on calendar Dec 9, 2001 is Sunday then what was the day on Dec 9, 1971? A. Thursday B. Wednesday C. Saturday D. Sunday Same day gain, Day loss 1971 to 2001=how many jumps? 2001-1971=Total 30 years jump Out of those 30 years, how many leap years? 72, 76,.,00 (multiples of of 4 and 2000 is also leap year because It is multiple of 400) but no need to manually count leap years. if you observe 18 x 4 =(19)72 25 x 4 =(20)00 so from 18 to 25 = total 8 leap years. (plz note: 25-18=7 years, but weve to include both years as welltherefore.. in such counting, itll be 25-18+1=8 leap years) back to the start: 30 years jump and out of them 8 were leap years. Meaning 22 normal years + 8 leap years = total 30 years 22 normal years (+1 day gain) 22 x 1 =22 days 8 leap years (+2 days gain) 8 x 2= 16 days

total gain 22+16=38 days 38/7=(75)+3 remainder Meaning whatever was the day on Dec 9, 1971, itll move to +3 days on dec 9 2001 Reverse is also true: Whatever was the day on Dec 2001, itll be three days less on Dec 9 1971: Since Dec 2001 was Sunday therefore, Sunday Minus 3 days= (just count in your head): SaturdayFriday Thursday. Final answer is A: Thursday Question 1988 to 1989 What day of week was it on 5th November,1989 if it was Monday on 4th April, 1988 ? 1. Monday 2. Tuesday 3. Saturday 4. Sunday Recall our Day gain Day loss principle For Non-Leap year, When we proceed forward by one year, then 1 day is gained and vice-versa. If 4th April, 1988 = Monday, then 4th April, 1989 = Tuesday (Because 1989 is a non-leap year) th Remaining days until 5 Nov.89 Month Days Remainder with 7 April (4 to 30) May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov 26 31 30 31 31 30 31 5 5 3 2 3 3 2 3 5

total 215 26 =Tuesday + 215 Divide 215 with 7 to find the remainder 215=(30*7)+5 Hence five is the remainder Back to the problem = Tuesday + [5 days] th What is the 5 day after Tuesday? Count on your fingertip: Wed, Thurs., Fri, Sat., Sunday =Sunday (Final answer D)

Speed Technique tip#1 in above problem, if you dont want to waste time in adding the days like 26+31+30. then use following approach 30 days=(7*4)+2=> 2 remainder 31 days=(7*4)+3=> 3 remainder. Month Days Remainder with 7 April (4 to 30) May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov 26 31 30 31 31 30 31 5 5 (because 26=7*3+5) 3 2 3 3 2 3 5

total dont need 26 Divide this by 7 and find remainder: 26=(7*3)+5 so remainder is 5 =Tuesday + 5 = Tuesday + 5 days =Sunday Speed Technique tip#2 in speed tech #1, if you dont want to waste time in adding the remainders of seven: 5+3+2. then do following pickup remainders that add upto 7 and cancel them. for example 5+2=7. So Ill cancel each such pair in the table. Observe Remainder with 7 Month Days after cancelling numbers that add upto 7 (e.g. 5+2) April (4 to 30) May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov 26 31 30 31 31 30 31 5 5 3 2 3 3 2 3 5

total dont need 12 After cancelling the two pairs of (5+2), Im left with four 3s= 12 (because 4 x 3=12) =Tuesday + 12 now divide 12 with 7 find remainder: 12=7*1 +5 = Tuesday + 5 days =Sunday Concept: Date Without reference Day Example: What was the day on 15 August 1947? To solve this type of questions, youve to first mug up these two tables: Table#1: The odd days 100 200 300 400, 800, 1200, 1600 etc multiples of 400 5 3 1 0
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^ok but what is the use of above table? It tells us the number of odd days in that given year. I dont want to bore you with the theory so just mug up those values. Tablet #2: Number-Day 0, 7 1 2 3 4 5 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6 Saturday Just remember that 1 to 6 is Monday to Friday and 0 or 7=Sunday. ^ok but what is the use of above table? just hang on for a few more paragraphs and youll know! Now lets try a sum What day of week was on 15th ugust,1947? Step 1: Subtract the given year by 1. 1947 -1 = 1946 Step 2: Break into relevant years as in table #1. 100 5 200 300 3 1

400, 800, 1200, 1600 etc (multiples of 400) 0 Therefore, 1946 = 1600 + 300 + ( 46 ) Step 3: Now write corresponding values from the table: 1600=0 and 300=1 1946=>0+1+(46) Step 4: Now for the number in bracket (46), divide it by 4 and add quotation in same line. in this case 46=(11x4)+2 therefore, 11 is quotation and 2 is remainder. Were concerned with number and quotation here 1946=0+1+(46+11) Step5: Now add all these numbers and divide by 7 0+1+(46+11) =58 And when you divide 58 by 7, you get 58= (7*8)+2. Therefore remainder is 2. we got the number 2 = well call this our 31Dec Number Observe second table 0, 7 Sunday 1 2 3 4 5 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6 Saturday From this table we can see that 2=>Tuesday st It means 31 December 1946 was Tuesday. Now we apply our 7day cycle concept to find out the day th on 15 August 1947 using the following formula th Given day= (our 31Dec Number 2)+ *how many days till we reach 15 August?*

Step 6 st th from 1 Jan 1947 till we reach 15 August 1947 Jan feb (not leap year) march april may june july august (upto 15 Aug)
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days in given month 31 28 31 30 31 30 31 15

total 227 days back to the bold part th (Our 31Dec Number)+ *how many days till we reach 15 August?* =2 + 227 =229 Step 7 Divide this number (229) by 7 and whatever remainder you get= that is our day from table #2 229/7=(32*7)+5 so 5 is the remainder and as per table#2 0, 7 Sunday 1 2 3 4 5 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6 Saturday 5=>Friday. th That means 15 August 1947 was Friday. Speed increase tip#1: th in above 15 August example, Back to the step6 th 31Dec Number+ *how many days till we reach 15 August?* after that, we did following: st th from 1 Jan 1947 till we reach 15 August 1947 days in given month Jan feb (not leap year) march april may june july august (upto 15 Aug)
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31 28 31 30 31 30 31 15

total 227 days ^as you see we had to sum of 31+28+31.=lot of time taken in doing the addition (+). So, it is better to just add remainders for each month with 7 30=(7*4)+2=> 2 remainder 31=(7*4)+3=> 3 remainder.

Now observe again st from 1 Jan 1947 th till we reach 15 August 1947 Jan feb (not leap year) march april may june july august (upto 15 Aug)
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days in given month 31 28 31 30 31 30 31 15

remainder with 7 3 0 3 2 3 2 3 1 (because 14+1)

total 227 days 17 now instead of 227 we can simply write 17 th Our 31Dec Number+ *how many days till we reach 15 August?* =2+17 =19 Therefore 19/7 = its remainder will tell us the final day 19=(7*2) + 5=therefore remainder is 5 and as per table#2, 5 means Friday. Find the day on 10th May, 1857? Subtract 1 from the given year 1857-1=1856 Now breakup 1856 as per our table #1 100 5 200 300 3 1

400, 800, 1200, 1600 etc (multiples of 400) 0 1856 =1600+200+(56) write corresponding values from table#1 =0+3+(56) Divide the bracket number by 4 and write quotient along with number 56=14*4 + 0 therefore quotient is 14 1856 =0+3+(56+14) add these numbers and divide by 7 find remainder =73/7 =remainder 3 Speed Technique #3 after doing the division with 4 to find quotient step, you got following =0+3+(56+14) Whenever you see the multiple of 7, just scratch that number (because itll give remainder zero anyways) for example =0+3+(56+14) Here both 56 and 14 are multiples of 7 so even if you divide them by 7, youre going to get zero as remainder. =0+3+0+0=3 is 31Dec Number st as per table#2: 3 means Wednesday. Meaning 31 December 1856 was Wednesday now our 31Dec Number+ how many days till 10th May, 1857?

from 1 Jan 1857 th till we reach 31 May 1857 Jan feb (not leap year in 1857) march april may

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days in given month 31 28 31 30 10

remainder with 7 3 0 3 2 3, Because 10=(7 x 1)+3

total *not needed* 11 back to our problem our 31Dec Number+ how many days till 10th May, 1857? =3 + 11 =14 when 14 is divided by 7 we get zero as remainder. as per table#2 0, 7 Sunday 1 2 3 4 5 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6 Saturday th Zero means Sunday. so final answer 10 May 1857 was Sunday. Extra facts: 1. The 1st day of a century must be Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. 2. The last day of a century cannot be Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Mock questions 1. In 2013, Gandhis birth-anniversary is on Wednesday. In which nearest future year, will his birthanniversary be on Monday? th th 2. If 29 April 2013 is Monday then what is the day on 30 November 2013? 3. If June 11, 2013 is Monday, what was the day on July 11, 2000 4. What was the day on 9/11 attacks in 2001 5. What was the day on 26/11 attacks in 2008 Answers 1. 2017 2. 30/nov/13=Saturday 3. 11/jul/00=Monday 4. 11/09/01=Sunday 5. 26/11/08=Wednesday