The space freighter ‘Mako’ trades out of Antares. It travels at constant speed through hyperspace and its route is as follows:

ITINERARY
Antares-Alniyat ...........7 days
Alniyat- β Normae .......4 days
β Normae-1 Scorpii .....8 days
1 Scorpii-Antares ........5 days
Antares- π Scorpii .......7 days
π Scorpii-1 Scorpii.......3 days
1 Scorpii-Alniyat .........5 days
Alniyat-Dschubba ........3 days
Dschubba-Akrab .........6 days
Akrab-π Scorpii ..........4 days
π Scorpii- β Normae .....6 days
(Parts of days ignored throughout)

How many days would it take the ‘Mako’ to travel back home from β Normae to Antares?

(In reply to an attempt at a solution by Charlie)

Charlie,

Pretty close:

Antares to Aln: 88.85... Actual (92.51)   
Aln to Beta: 24.14...Actual (22.44)   
pi to Antares: 120... Actual (118.49)   
Beta to pi: 39.57... Actual (13.68)

It's just the last one that was off the mark, my fault not yours, since it just so happens that the sides of that triangle are least close to exact numbers of days.

That said, I got 9.59 using triangles of the (given) lengths cut out of cartridge paper!

Edited on April 7, 2011, 12:16 pm

Posted by broll on 2011-04-07 11:55:52