Practice Problem - 5 : Seven children A, B, C, D, E, F and G started walking from the same point at the same time, with speeds in the ratio of 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 respectively and they are running around a circular park. Each of them carry flags of different colours and whenever two or more children meet, they place their respective flag at that point. However nobody places more than 1 flag at a same point. They are running in anti-clockwise direction. How many flags will be there in total, when there will be no scope of putting more flags?
Solution : When running in the same direction : If the ratio of speeds of two athletes (in the most reducible form) is a : b, the number of distinct meeting points on the track would be would be |a – b|
A and B will meet at |1 - 2| = 1 point.A and C will meet at |1 - 3| = 2 pointsA and D will meet at |1 - 4| = 3 pointsA and E will meet at |1 - 5| = 4 pointsA and F will meet at |1 - 6| = 5 pointsA and G will meet at |1 - 7| = 6 pointsSo A will put 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 = 21 flags.
similarly B and C will meet at |2 - 3| = 1 pointB and D will meet at |2 - 4| = 2 pointsB and E will meet at |2 - 5| = 3 pointsB and F will meet at |2 - 6| = 4 pointsB and G will meet at |2 - 7| = 5 pointsSo B will put 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15 flags
Similarly find for C, D, E and F.
We will get 21 + 15 + 10 + 6 + 3 + 1 = 56 flags
