A 1 Km wire is connected between N poles. if 1 pole is removed the distance between the pole increases by 2/3 of the original distance. How many poles are there?

• I think there is some mistake in given data as we r not getting integer no of poles.
  
  Approach is given here.
  let x be the distance between the 2 poles
  let (n-1) be the no. of gaps between 1 km
  therefore
  x*(N-1) = 1km
  x= 1/(N-1)
  now as one pole is removed the distance between the 2 poles increased by 2/3rd distance.
  so
  new distance between poles =
  x+2/3 *x=5/3*x
  therefore 5/3*x*(N-2)=1 km
  or
  (5/3)*(1/(N-1))*(N-2) =1
  
  solving it, we can get N .
  
  But here N= 7/2 = 3.5 which should not be right answer.
  
• 13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(3) No(0)
• 1km---(1000)
  N poles have N-1 spaces--(1000)/(N-1)
  If one poles is removed then the space is N-2
  Given the space increses by 2/3 rd of the original distance when one pole is removed
  Therefore--
  1000/(N-1)=(2/3)(1000)(N-2)
  (N-2)/(N-1)=2/3
  3N-6 = 2N -2
  N=4
  4 is the answer
• 13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(2) No(1)
• @ Sowmya,
  
  pls check ur solution.
  as per ur equation
  1000/(N-1)=(2/3)(1000)(N-2)
  
  It means distance between two poles earlier was 2/3 rd of distance now ( after removing one pole) which is not the case.
  Given condition is
  if 1 pole is removed the distance between the pole increases by 2/3 of the original distance.
  
  If N=4 ( as per ur sol)
  then earlier distance between poles = 1/3 kms
  and new distance ( after removing one pole i.e. with 3 poles ) = 1/2 kms which does not satisfy given condition.
• 13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(1) No(0)
• n-1 poles are there
• 13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(0) No(1)