Problem:
Five runners completed the grueling Xmarathon: Luke, Melina, Nico, Olympia, and Pedro.
Which runner finished fourth?
Answer Choices:
A. Luke
B. Melina
C. Nico
D. Olympia
E. Pedro
Solution:
Suppose Pedro's time is the reference point. Nico finished minutes after Pedro and Olympia finished minutes after Pedro. Olympia finished minutes ahead of Melina, so Melina finished minutes after Pedro. Olympia also finished minutes ahead of Luke, so Luke finished minutes after Pedro. Putting these times together, the order the runners completed the Xmarathon in is Pedro, Olympia, Melina, Luke, and Nico. Therefore, the runner who finished fourth is .
The problems on this page are the property of the MAA's American Mathematics Competitions