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jmc

counting and probability junior

Problem

What is the shortest distance that can be travelled if you start at any point, , , , or , and visit the other three points once?

problem
Solution
To visit all four points, we notice that we must travel along at least three different segments. The sum of the shortest three segments is , but we quickly notice that it is impossible to start at one point and visit the other three points by traveling on a path with length (, , and do not let us visit point , and it is not possible to travel on , , and in a continuous path). We now look for a path with length and notice that traveling from point to to to works. Alternatively, to to to also works. Both paths have length .
Final answer
13