Problem of the Week

Problem B
A-Maze-ing Mice!
Two mice, Charlie and Priscilla, run at the same speed in a small maze with two
loops, as shown below.
They can run counter-clockwise around loop
1 in 10 s, and clockwise around loop 2 in 4 s.
They start together from S, where the corners of loop 1 and loop 2 meet, at time
t = 0 s, with Charlie running on loop 1 and
Priscilla on loop 2.
a) If Charlie continues to run around loop 1, and Priscilla continues to run
around loop 2, when will they first meet again at S? When will the next
meeting occur?
b) Suppose that, whenever they meet at S, they get confused and switch to the
other loop, continuing at the same speed. In which loop will Charlie be after
32 s? After 45 s?
c) If they continue as in part b), is the length of time between their meetings
at S always the same? Explain.

Strand

Number Sense and Numeration