Answer to February 11, 2002 Problem

The Math Team Problem

Fifteen Handley students and fifteen Sherando students were competing for the fifteen spots on the Shenandoah Valley Math Team.

Since the students were equally qualified, the following plan was devised for choosing the team:

The thirty students would be placed in a circle, and starting the count from a specific student, every ninth person would be disqualified. The counting would continue until only 15 students were left and they would comprise the team.

Where should the fifteen Handley students stand so that all of them would be picked for the team?

Use H and S to represent the Handley and Sherando students and give the order of the 30 students beginning with the position of the first student to count off.