perplexus.info :: General : Suzy and the tricycle

Suzy and the tricycle (Posted on 2004-02-24)

Little Suzy has a tricycle (you know, with three wheels). She wants to travel 1 mile with the tricycle, but she wants to spare her tyres (you know the price on tricycle tyres just keep going up). She is taking 2 spare tyres.

Assume she knows when to exchange wheels so that each of them travels an equal distance. How far does each wheel travel at the end of one mile? How did she exchange the wheels?

No Solution Yet Submitted by ratsnstuff

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Solution

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How far does each wheel travel at the end of one mile?

3/5 of a mile on the axle, and 2/5 on the rack. for a total of 1 mile.

How did she exchange the wheels?

With a tire iron.

Explanation:

She starts out with main tires a, b, c, and spares d,e.

She goes the first 1/5 mile with tires a,b,c on the vehicle.

Then she replaces a with d.

She goes the second 1/5 mile on d,b,c.

Then she replaces b with e.

She goes the third 1/5 mile on d,e,c,

Then she replaces c with a.

She goes the fourth 1/5 mile on d,e,a.

Then she replaces d with b

She goes the final 1/5 mile on b,e,a.

Posted by Penny on 2004-02-24 09:38:25

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