Question

There is a circular path around a sports field. Sheela takes 36 minutes to drive one round of the field while Geeta takes 32 minutes to do the same. If they both start at the same point and at the same time and go in the same direction, after how many minutes will meet again at the starting point?

Answer 1

To find the time after which Geeta and Sheela will meet again at the starting point, we have to find the LCM of $36$ and $32.$

We can write $36$ as

$36=2\times 2\times 3\times 3$

$=2^2\times 3^2$

and $32=2\times 2\times 2\times 2\times 2$

$=2^5$

$\therefore$ LCM of $(36,32)=2^5\times 3^2$

$=32\times 9$

$=288$

$\therefore$ Sheela and Geeta meet again at the starting point after $288$ minutes.