Question

A deck of forty cards consists of four $1$ 's, four $2$ 's, $\ldots,$ and four $10$ 's. A matching pair (two cards with the same number) is removed from the deck. Given that these cards are not returned to the deck, let $m/n$ be the probability that two randomly selected cards also form a pair, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $m + n.$

Answer

Solution:

After the matching pair is removed, $38$ cards remain: nine numbers with four cards each and one number with only two cards. The number of ways to draw a pair is $9\binom{4}{2} + \binom{2}{2} = 54 + 1 = 55,$ out of $\binom{38}{2} = 703$ equally likely draws.

Since $703 = 19 \cdot 37$ shares no factor with $55 = 5 \cdot 11,$ the probability $\frac{55}{703}$ is in lowest terms, and $m + n = 55 + 703 = 758.$

2000 AIME II Problem 3

Solution:

Problem 3 in Other Years