2025 AMC 10A Problem 14

Attempt Problem 14 of the 2025 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 2025 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.

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14.

Six chairs are arranged around a round table. Two students and two teachers randomly select four of the chairs to sit in. What is the probability that the two students will sit in two adjacent chairs and the two teachers will also sit in two adjacent chairs?

16\dfrac{1}{6}

15\dfrac{1}{5}

29\dfrac{2}{9}

313\dfrac{3}{13}

14\dfrac{1}{4}

Answer: B
Concepts:circular arrangementsbasic probability
Difficulty rating: 1600
Solution:

Seat the first student anywhere. The second student lands next to them with probability 25,\tfrac{2}{5}, since two of the remaining five chairs are adjacent. Now the teachers fill two of the four leftover chairs. Of the (42)=6\binom{4}{2} = 6 ways to do that, exactly 33 are adjacent pairs. So the probability is 2536=15.\tfrac{2}{5} \cdot \tfrac{3}{6} = \tfrac{1}{5}. Therefore, the answer is B.

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