SOLUTION: A piece of land is 20 miles in circumference. Three persons, A, B, and C, start from the same place and travel the same way. A travels 3 mph, B 7 mph, and C 11 mph. In what time wi

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Question 1106369: A piece of land is 20 miles in circumference. Three persons, A, B, and C, start from the same place and travel the same way. A travels 3 mph, B 7 mph, and C 11 mph. In what time will they be together again?
Not sure how to solve. Non-homework.

Found 2 solutions by josmiceli, ikleyn:
Answer by josmiceli(19441)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The time has to to divisible by the times
for each one to go around once
-----------------------------
A's time to go around once:

B'stime:

C's time:

----------------
The time, that is divisible by
these 3 times is:
hrs


They will be togther again in 34 hrs 38 min
-----------------------------------------
Check the math and get another opinion if needed

Answer by ikleyn(52786)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
The correct answer is 5 hours.

In 5 hours person A will cover 5*3 = 15 miles.

           person B will cover 5*7 = 35 miles,  which is one entire circumference of 20 miles plus the same 15 miles: 35 = 20 + 15.

           person C will cover 5*11 = 55 miles, which is TWO TIMES entire  circumference of 20 miles plus the same 15 miles: 55 = 2*20 + 15.



So, in 5 hours all three of them will be at the same point on the circumference.



To that time person A will be on the way making his first lap;

             person B will complete his first lap and will be on the way making his 2-nd lap;

         and person C will complete his TWO laps and will be on the way making his 3-rd lap.

It is informal solution.

The formal solution is based on the following fact:

    For two bodies that started simultaneously from one point and move uniformly along the circle (along the closed path) of 
    the circumference S in the same direction with different speeds/rates  and ,  > , the time from the start till the moment
    when the faster body will catch the slower body is this condition


         = S:     the difference between the covered distanses is exactly equal to the circumference.


    It is also the condition for the time duration between any two consecutive catching moments.

See the lesson
    - Problems on bodies moving on a circle
in this site, where you will find the solutions to similar problems.


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