SEAMO 2027 - Paper E - SET 08 - Self-study Question 20

In a table-tennis tournament, each player is scheduled to play exactly one game against every other player. During the tournament three players withdraw, each having played exactly two matches. All matches among the remaining players are completed. If 50 matches are played in total, how many were played between the three withdrawn players?

Interpret the tournament as completed among all players who did not withdraw; this is the usual round-robin completion intended by the source.

Enter the exact number only; fractions are allowed.