Miguel and his brother Ario are both standing 3 meters from one side of a 25 meter pool when they decide to race. Miguel offers Ario a head start. He says he will start when the ratio of Arios completed meters to his remaining meters is 1:4. How many meters will Ario swim before Miguel starts his race?
Well.....I don't know what is assumed here.....but....
If the race is only over the length of the pool ......then Ario will swim 5m before Miguel starts
To see this he swms 1(5) = 5m and he has 20 m left to swim
So 5 : 20 = 1 : 4
If the race starts 3 m from the pool then both will travel 25 + 3 = 28 m
So.....there are 5 equal segments to the race....each being 28/5 = 5.6m
So.....Ario will travel (1 * 5.6) = 5.6 m before Miguel starts
And he has 4 (5.6) = 22.4 meters left to travel
Note that 5.6 : 22.4 = 1 : 4
But....the distance that he actually swims over the 5.6 m = 5.6 - 3 = 2.6 m