How amny matches were played in all ?

Question

There are 16 teams dividedinto 2 groups of 8 each each team of a group then played 1 match with the other teams of its group the top 4 of each group then qualified for the super 8 in which each team of 1 group played 1 match with each team of the other group the top 2 teams from each group qualified for the semifinals and then the final was played between the winners of the semifinals how many matches were played in all?

Answer 1

Call the groups A and B and number the teams 1 to 8.

Groups A and B each play 28 matches within their individual group (1v2, 1v3, ..., 1v8, 2v3, 2v4, ..., 2v8, 3v4, ..., 7v8=28 matches: 7+6+5+4+3+2+1). So 56 matches are played altogether.

The top 4 of each group are called A1-A4 and B1-B4 in the Super 8. The matches are:

A1vB1, ..., A1vB4, A2vB1, ..., A2vB4, ..., A4vB4=16 matches.

So far we have 56+16=74 matches.

In the semifinals we have A1, A2, B1, B2. There are 4 matches: A1vB1, A1vB2, A2vB1, A2vB2. That makes 78 matches.

The final is played between A1 and B1 winners, making 79 matches in all.