what is the smallest number of cars that can be driven in this formation: two cars in front of a car, two cars in back of a car, and a car between two cars?
3 with car in the middle facing opposite direction as two cars
To determine the smallest number of cars that can be driven in this formation, we need to visualize and analyze the given conditions.
Let's break down the formation:
- Two cars in front of a car.
- Two cars behind a car.
- A car between two cars.
We can represent the formation as follows:
[2 Cars] - [1 Car] - [2 Cars]
To find the minimum number of cars, we need to determine the fewest amount of cars required to satisfy these conditions.
Let's consider each part of the formation individually:
1. Two cars in front of a car:
To have two cars in front of a car, we need at least 2 cars at the front.
2. Two cars behind a car:
To have two cars behind a car, we need at least 2 cars at the back.
3. A car between two cars:
To have a car between two cars, we need at least 3 cars in total (one on each side and one in the middle).
Combining these three conditions, the minimum number of cars required to satisfy all conditions is 2 (front) + 1 (middle) + 2 (back) = 5 cars.
Therefore, the smallest number of cars needed to form the given formation is 5.