Question
CSATMediumPrelims 2025Maths

P and Q walk along a circular track. They start at 5:00 am. from the same point in opposite directions. P walks at an average speed of 55 rounds per hour and Q walks at an average speed of 33 rounds per hour. How many times will they cross each other between 5:20 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.?

Explanation

Because they are moving in opposite directions, their effective speed becomes 5+3=85+3=8 laps per hour. This means they complete one “meeting cycle” every 1/81/8 hour → i.e., every 7.57.5 minutes.

From 5:00 am to 5:20 am:

  • 2020 minutes allows for only 22 full meeting intervals (since 7.5+7.5=157.5 + 7.5 = 15 minutes).
  • Their third encounter would occur after 5:20 am.

From 5:00 am to 7:00 am:

  • In 2 hours (120 minutes), the number of meetings = 120/7.5=16120/7.5 = 16.
  • But the one that happens exactly at 7:00 am is outside the required window.

So valid meetings strictly between 5:20 am and 7:00 am = 163=1316-3 = 13.

So the correct count is 13.

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