Cpu performance related question, In one of the standard book named Patterson

Question

I am confused whether to count the IPC given in the question or not as Each binary is running for same number of cycles why to count them, please provide a solution with some discussion for this question . @arjun Suresh sir.

Comments

You will have to count the IPC since even though they are running for the same number of clock cycles, the number of instructions being executed will be variable.