2025 AIME I Problem 7

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 7 of the 2025 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2025 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:basic probabilityarrangements with restrictionscasework

Difficulty rating: 2710

7.

The twelve letters A,A, B,B, C,C, D,D, E,E, F,F, G,G, H,H, I,I, J,J, K,K, and LL are randomly grouped into six pairs of letters. The two letters in each pair are placed next to each other in alphabetical order to form six two-letter words, and then those six words are listed alphabetically. For example, a possible result is AB,AB, CJ,CJ, DG,DG, EK,EK, FL,FL, HI.HI. The probability that the last word listed contains GG is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

There are 1197531=1039511 \cdot 9 \cdot 7 \cdot 5 \cdot 3 \cdot 1 = 10395 ways to pair the letters. Each word begins with the smaller letter of its pair, so the last word alphabetically is the pair whose smaller letter is largest.

Case 1: GG is the smaller letter of the last word. Then GG pairs with one of H,I,J,K,LH, I, J, K, L (55 ways), and no two of the remaining four late letters may pair together (such a pair would start with a letter after GG). Those four letters must take distinct partners from {A,,F},\{A, \ldots, F\}, in 6543=3606 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 = 360 ways, and the two leftover early letters pair with each other. That gives 5360=18005 \cdot 360 = 1800 pairings. Case 2: GG is the larger letter, paired with some xx before G.G. Then none of H,,LH, \ldots, L may pair together, so all five take partners among the other five early letters; the six smaller letters are then exactly AA through F,F, and the largest is F.F. So the last word is FG,FG, and H,,LH, \ldots, L match with A,,EA, \ldots, E in 5!=1205! = 120 ways.

The probability is 1800+12010395=192010395=128693,\frac{1800 + 120}{10395} = \frac{1920}{10395} = \frac{128}{693}, so m+n=128+693=821.m + n = 128 + 693 = 821.

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