Problem #PRU-65857

Problems Calculus Real numbers Integer and fractional parts. Archimedean property Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (angles and lengths)

Problem

Author: A.K. Tolpygo

12 grasshoppers sit on a circle at various points. These points divide the circle into 12 arcs. Let’s mark the 12 mid-points of the arcs. At the signal the grasshoppers jump simultaneously, each to the nearest clockwise marked point. 12 arcs are formed again, and jumps to the middle of the arcs are repeated, etc. Can at least one grasshopper return to his starting point after he has made a) 12 jumps; b) 13 jumps?