Hi guys,

I hope you don't mind me dropping into the maths forum for the first time when I just need help!

I am really stuck here.

I am trying to work out some "grids" for car racing.

Let me explain by way of an example.

70 People enter a race meeting(# of COMPETITORS). The circuit is only allowed to have 30 competitors in each race (The GRID size).

Each Competitor must have 3 races each (# of RACES).

Each competitor must be allocated "fair" starting positions.

The definition of fair is that if allocate "points" to a position, ie. 1 for 1st, 2 for 2nd etc then if you add up the points for each competitor everyone has the same (or maximum of one point difference).

So everyone would have either 1 front/middle/back start or 3 "midfield" starts.

I can work out grids easily enough when the # of competitors is smaller than the grid size. But when it's greater then you have to have (say) 6 races, with each competitor only taking part in 3 of them.

This has been driving me nuts.

The porgramming side of it i'm happy with, but coming up with the algorithm to make these grids is really annoying me now.

It will ALWAYS be three races each, but the number of competitors could be anything from (say) 30 to 200 and the grid size could be anything from 20 to 50!

I can't do it by hand, BUT I know other people have, so it's possible.

HELP!!!!!!!! (and thank you!)


Peter