#import "@local/handout:0.1.0": * #show: doc => handout( doc, quarter: link( "https://betalupi.com/handouts", "betalupi.com/handouts", ), title: [Warm-Up: Mario Kart], by: "Mark", ) #problem() A standard Mario Kart cup consists of 12 players and four races. \ Each race is scored as follows: - 15 points are awarded for first place; - 12 for second; - and $(13 - #text("place"))$ otherwise. In any one race, no players may tie. \ A player's score at the end of a cup is the sum of their scores for each of the four races. #v(2mm) An $n$-way tie occurs when the top $n$ players have the same score at the end of a round. \ What is the largest possible $n$, and how is it achieved? #solution([ A 12-way tie is impossible, since the total number of point is not divisible by 12. #v(2mm) A 11-way tie is possible, with a top score of 28: - Four players finish $1^#text("st")$, $3^#text("ed")$, $11^#text("th")$, and $12^#text("th")$; - Four players finish $2^#text("nd")$, $4^#text("th")$, $9^#text("th")$, and $10^#text("th")$; // spell:disable-line - Two players finish fifth twice and seventh twice, - One player finishes sixth in each race. The final player always finishes eighth, with a non-tie score of 20. ])