RACES AND GAMES OF SKILL

IMPORTANT FACTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Races: A contest of speed in running, riding, driving, sailing or rowing is called a race.
Race Course: The ground or path on which contests are made is called a race course.
Starting Point: The point from which a race begins is known as a starting point.
Winning Point or Goal: The point set to bound a race is called a winning point or a goal.
Winner: The person who first reaches the winning point is called a winner.
Dead Heat Race: If all the persons contesting a race reach the goal exactly at the same time,
the race is said to be dead heat race.
7. Start: Suppose A and B are two contestants in a race. If before the start of the race, A is at the
starting point and B is ahead of A by 12 metres, then we say that 'A gives B, a start of 12 metres'.
To cover a race of 100 metres in this case, A will have to cover 100 metres while B will have to
cover only (100 - 12) = 88 metres.
To cover a race of 100 metres in this case, A will have to cover 100 metres while B will have to
cover only (100 - 12) = 88 metres.
8. Games: 'A game of 100, means that the person among the contestants who scores 100 points
first is the winner'.
If A scores 100 points while B scores only 80 points, then we say that 'A can give B 20 points'.

Ex.1.

In a km race, A beats B by 28 meters or 7 seconds . Find As time over the course .

Sol.

Clearly , B covers 28 m in 7 seconds .

Bs time over the course =

7
x 1000 sec. = 250 seconds.
28
:

As time over the course = (250 7) sec. = 243 sec.

Ex.2.
might

A runs 1

= 4 min. 3 sec.

3
times as fast as B. If A gives B a start of 84 m, how far must the winning post be so that A and B
4

reach it at the same time?

7
Sol.

Ratio of the rates of A and B

:1

= 7 : 4.

4
So, in a race of 7 m, A gains 3 m over B.
:

3 m are gained by A in a race of 7 m.

84 m are gained by A in a race of

7
x 84

m = 196 m.

3
:

Winning post must be 196 m away from the starting point.

Ex.3.

In a game of 80 points , A can give B 5 points and C 15 points. Then how many points B can give C in a game of 60?

Sol.

A : B = 80 : 75, A : C = 80 : 65.
B

B
=

C
:

A
x

75
=

80
x

80

15

60

65

13

= 60 : 52.
52

In a game of 60, B can give C 8 points.

Ex.4.
A, B and C are three contestants in a km race . If A can give B a start of 40 m and A can give C a start of 64 m , how
many metres start can B give C?
Sol.

While A covers 1000 m , B covers (1000 40) m = 960 m and

C covers (1000 64) m or 936 m.
When B covers 960 m, C covers 936 m .
936
When B covers 1000 m, C covers

x 1000 m

= 975 m.

960
:

B can give C a start of (1000 975) or 25 m.

Ex.5.

A can run 1 km in 3 min. 10 sec. and B can cover the same distance in 3 min. 20 sec. By what distance can A beat B?

Sol.

Clearly, A beats B by 10 sec.

1000
Distance covered by B in 10 sec. =

x 10

= 50 m.

200

A beats B by 50 meters.

Ex.6.
In a 100 m race , A runs at 8 km per hour. If A gives B a start of 4 m and still beats him by 15 seconds , what is the
speed of B ?
60 x 60
Sol.
Time taken by A to cover 100 m =
x 100 sec. = 45 sec.
8000

B covers (100 4) m = 96 m in (45 + 15) sec. = 60. sec.

Bs speed =

96 x 60 x 60
km/hr = 5.76 km/hr.
60 x 1000

Ex.7.

In a 100 m race, A can give B 10 m and C 28 m. In the same race B can give C:

Sol.

A : B = 100 : 90.
A : C = 100 : 72.
B

B:C =

90

100

90

100

72

72

When B runs 90 m, C runs 72 m.

72
When B runs 100 m, C runs

x 100

= 80 m.

90
B can give C 20 m.

Ex.8.
A and B take part in 100 m race. A runs at 5 kmph. A gives B a start of 8 m and still beats him by 8 seconds. The
speed of B is:
Sol.

5
As speed

25

5x

m/sec. =

m/sec.

18

18
18

Time taken by A to cover 100 m =

100 x

sec. = 72 sec.
25

Time taken by B to cover 92 m = (72 + 8) = 80 sec.

92
B's speed =

18
x

80

kmph

= 4.14 kmph.

Ex.9.

In a race of 200 m, A can beat B by 31 m and C by 18 m. In a race of 350 m, C will beat B by :

Sol.

A : B = 200 : 169.
A : C = 200 : 182.
C

C
=

A
x

182
=

200
x

200

= 182 : 169.
169

When C covers 182 m, B covers 169 m.

169
When C covers 350 m, B covers

x 350

325 m.

182
Therefore, C beats B by (350 - 325) m = 25 m.
Ex.10.

In 100 m race, A covers the distance in 36 seconds and B in 45 seconds. In this race A beats B by:

Sol.

100
Distance covered by B in 9 sec. =

x9

m = 20 m.

45

A beats B by 20 metres.

Ex.11.

In a 300 m race A beats B by 22.5 m or 6 seconds. B's time over the course is:

Sol.

45
B runs

m in 6 sec.
2

2
B covers 300 m in

6x

x 300

sec. = 80 sec.

45
2
A runs 1 times as fast as B. If A gives B a start of 80 m, how far must the winning post be so that A and B might
3
reach it at the same time?
5
Sol.
Ratio of the speeds of A and B =
: 1 = 5 : 3.
3
Ex.12.

Thus, in race of 5 m, A gains 2 m over B.

2 m are gained by A in a race of 5 m.
5
80 m will be gained by A in race of

x 80

m = 200 m.

2
Winning post is 200 m away from the starting point.
Ex.13. At a game of billiards, A can give B 15 points in 60 and A can give C to 20 points in 60. How many points can B give
C in a game of 90?
Sol.

A : B = 60 : 45.
A : C = 60 : 40.
B

B
=

A
x

45
=

60
x

60

45
=

40

B can give C 10 points in a game of 90.

90
=

40

= 90 : 80.
80

Ex.14.

In a 100 m race, A beats B by 10 m and C by 13 m. In a race of 180 m, B will beat C by:

Sol.

A : B = 100 : 90.
A : C = 100 : 87.
B

B
=

A
x

90
=

100

30

100

87

29

When B runs 30 m, C runs 29 m.

29
When B runs 180 m, C runs

x 180

= 174 m.

30

B beats C by (180 - 174) m = 6 m.

Ex.15.

A can run 22.5 m while B runs 25 m. In a kilometre race B beats A by:

Sol.

When B runs 25 m, A runs

45
m.
2
45
When B runs 1000 m, A runs

1
x

x 1000

m = 900 m.

25

B beats A by 100 m.

Ex.16.

In a 200 metres race A beats B by 35 m or 7 seconds. A's time over the course is:

Sol.

B runs 35 m in 7 sec.
7
B covers 200 m in

x 200

= 40 sec.

35

B's time over the course = 40 sec.

A's time over the course (40 - 7) sec = 33 sec.

Ex.17.

In a 100 m race, A can beat B by 25 m and B can beat C by 4 m. In the same race, A can beat C by:

Sol.

A : B = 100 : 75
B : C = 100 : 96.
A

A:C =

B
x

100
=

100
x

75

100
=

96

= 100 : 72.
72

A beats C by (100 - 72) m = 28 m.

Ex.18.

In a 500 m race, the ratio of the speeds of two contestants A and B is 3 : 4. A has a start of 140 m. Then, A wins by:

Sol.

To reach the winning post A will have to cover a distance of (500 - 140)m, i.e., 360 m.
While A covers 3 m, B covers 4 m.
4
While A covers 360 m, B covers

x 360

= 480 m.

Thus, when A reaches the winning post, B covers 480 m and therefore remains 20 m behind.
A wins by 20 m.
Ex.19.

In a game of 100 points, A can give B 20 points and C 28 points. Then, B can give C:

Sol.

A : B = 100 : 80.
A : C = 100 : 72.
B

B
=

A
x

80
=

100

10

x
100

100

72

= 100 : 90
90

B can give C 10 points.

Ex.20.

In a 100 m race, A covers the distance in 36 seconds and B in 45 seconds . In this race A beats B by :

Sol.

100
Distance covered by B in 9 sec. =

x 9
45

A beats B by 20 metres .

= 20 m.