THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Pace groups stay separate and retain the entered order; each group fills its own waves. All entrants within a wave share its start time.
Start with your inputs
Enter entrants per declared pace group (counts), wave capacity (count), time between wave starts (minutes). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Entrants per declared pace group (counts) | 12,8,20 |
| Wave capacity (count) | 10 |
| Time between wave starts (minutes) | 2 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, waves per pace group is 2, 1, 2. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Waves per pace group | 2, 1, 2 |
| Total waves | 5 |
| First start by pace group (minutes from first wave) | 0, 4, 6 |
| Last wave starts (minutes) | 8 |
How this is calculated
Waves per pace group
Round each pace-group count up to full wave capacity.
Total waves
Add group wave counts.
First start by pace group (minutes from first wave)
Multiply the number of preceding waves by start spacing.
Last wave starts (minutes)
Multiply all but the first wave by spacing.
Symbols and units
- a
- Entrants per declared pace group (counts)
- b
- Wave capacity (count)
- c
- Time between wave starts (minutes)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Assumptions and limits
Pace groups stay separate and retain the entered order; each group fills its own waves. All entrants within a wave share its start time.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Waves per pace group; Total waves; First start by pace group (minutes from first wave); Last wave starts (minutes). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Pace groups stay separate and retain the entered order; each group fills its own waves. All entrants within a wave share its start time.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Further reading
OpenStax Prealgebra 2e — arithmetic and proportions ↗
Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
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