[ Work Problems.]

Three workers are digging a pit. They work in turns, and each of them works as long as it takes the other two to dig half of the pit. Working this way, they dug the pit. How many times faster would three workers dig the same pit if they worked simultaneously?
Let's say that while one of the workers is digging the main pit, the other two are digging additional pits. By the time the work on the main pit is completed, there will be an additional $3 \cdot 0.5 = 1.5$ pits dug. Thus, when all work simultaneously, they will dig 2.5 pits in the same amount of time.

## Answer

2.5 times.