Question

Ms. Hamilton's eighth-grade class wants to participate in the annual three-person-team basketball tournament. The losing team of each game is eliminated from the tournament. If sixteen teams compete, how many games will be played to determine the winner?

Answer 1

• 15 games will be played.

Explanation:

The number of teams is 16.

We know there is one winner, so the number of losers is:

• 16 - 1 = 15

Since each game results in one loser, the number of games is equal to the number of losers, hence the number of games is 15.