math challenge

Weeks of February 2 - 15, 1998

Boogie Bugs

In the annual Boogie Bugs Dance Competition, contestants must follow a specified dance pattern around a square floor made-up of 2 cm x 2 cm tiles.

Couple #1 covers a distance of 5 cm/s, and can fit their dance pattern into a 5 tile x 5 tile square.

Couple #2 cover 10 cm/s. Unfortunately, at this faster rate, they also need more room to move and can only fit their dance pattern into a 8 tile x 8 tile square.

Contestants are not judged on style. Rather, they are judged on the length of time it takes for them to complete the pattern. Which couple will finish first and by how many seconds?


See the solutions