Possible values of velocities
Source: Itamo 2013, problem 1
May 18, 2013
number theory proposednumber theory
Problem Statement
A model car is tested on some closed circuit meters long, consisting of flat stretches, uphill and downhill. All uphill and downhill have the same slope. The test highlights the following facts:
(a) The velocity of the car depends only on the fact that the car is driving along a stretch of uphill, plane or downhill; calling these three velocities and respectively, we have ;(b) and , expressed in meter per second, are integers.(c) Whatever may be the structure of the circuit, the time taken to complete the circuit is always seconds.
Find all possible values of and .