2012 AMC 10A Problem 25

Attempt Problem 25 of the 2012 AMC 10A below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2012 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.

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25.

Real numbers x,x, y,y, and zz are chosen independently and at random from the interval [0,n][0,n] for some positive integer n.n. The probability that no two of x,x, y,y, and zz are within 1 unit of each other is greater than 12.\dfrac{1}{2}. What is the smallest possible value of n?n?

77

88

99

1010

1111

Answer: D
Concepts:geometric probabilityvolumesymmetry
Difficulty rating: 2460
Solution:

This problem lends itself to geometric probability since we can view the interval as a range on an axis.

WLOG, let nxyz0. n \geq x \geq y \geq z \geq 0.

Then we have that the points (x,y,z)(x, y, z) which satisfy this restriction form a tetrahedron.

The height of this tetrahedron is n,n, and the base has an area of n22.\dfrac{n^2}{2}. This makes the volume 13n22n=n36. \dfrac{1}{3} \cdot \dfrac{n^2}{2} \cdot n = \dfrac{n^3}{6}.

Now we have to apply the restrictions from the problem statement. We need to find the region where xy,xz,yz1. |x - y|, |x - z|, |y - z| \geq 1.

From our ordering condition that we imposed, these inequalities reduce to xy1 and yz1. x - y \geq 1 \text{ and } y - z \geq 1.

These two restrictions form another tetrahedron as shown below.

Note that in the new tetrahedron, all the dimensions have been reduced by 2.2. This makes the height n2n - 2 and the base (n2)22.\dfrac{(n - 2)^2}{2}.

The volume is then 13(n2)22(n2) \dfrac{1}{3} \cdot \dfrac{(n - 2)^2}{2} \cdot (n - 2)=(n2)36. = \dfrac{(n - 2)^3}{6}.

The desired probability is then (n2)36÷n36=(n2)3n3. \dfrac{(n - 2)^3}{6} \div \dfrac{n^3}{6} = \dfrac{(n - 2)^3}{n^3}.

Plugging in all the answer choices, we get that the smallest value such that this fraction is greater than 12\dfrac{1}{2} is 10.10.

Thus, D is the correct answer.

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