Four gears are in constant mesh with each other. Gear A meshes only with Gear B, B meshes with A and C, C meshes with B and D, and D meshes only with C, like this:

A B C D

Gears A, B, C, and D have 35, 27, 84, and 34 teeth, respectively.

If a vertical stripe is painted on each gear, what is the minimum number of revolutions (>0) gear A would have to make before the four stripes are vertical again?

(In reply to Simple LCM by Lawrence)

OK, you got me. Didn't get the visual on this one. Half a rotation works too, no kiddin'. I feel like that guy from the Holy Grail that went flying into the pit.

Posted by Lawrence on 2003-08-24 06:09:18