UPSC Prelims 2010·GS1

In a tournament 14 teams play league matches. If each team plays against every other team once only then how many matches are played?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. A105
  2. B91Correct
  3. C85
  4. D78

Explanation

To find the total number of matches in a league where every team plays every other team once, we use the combination formula for selecting 2 teams out of 14. The formula is n times n minus 1 divided by 2. In this case, n is 14. So, the calculation is 14 times 13 divided by 2. 14 times 13 equals 182. 182 divided by 2 equals 91. Therefore, 91 matches are played in total. Option B is the correct answer.
UPSC Prelims: In a tournament 14 teams play league matches. If each team plays against every other team once only then how many matche