2003 AMC 12B Problem 25

Attempt Problem 25 of the 2003 AMC 12B 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 2003 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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25.

Three points are chosen randomly and independently on a circle. What is the probability that all three pairwise distances between the points are less than the radius of the circle?
136\dfrac{1}{36}
124\dfrac{1}{24}
118\dfrac{1}{18}
112\dfrac{1}{12}
19\dfrac{1}{9}
Answer: D
Concepts:geometric probabilityarcchord
Small hint:
A chord is shorter than the radius exactly when its arc measures less than 60∘60^\circ
Big hint:
All three pairwise chords are short precisely when the three points lie within some 60∘60^\circ arc
Solution:
A chord has length less than the radius exactly when the arc it subtends is less than 60∘,60^\circ, since a chord of a 60∘60^\circ arc equals the radius.
All three pairwise chords are shorter than the radius precisely when the three points all lie within some arc of 60∘.60^\circ.
For any successful configuration, exactly one of the three points is the counterclockwise endpoint of such a containing arc (apart from probability-zero boundary cases). Choose that endpoint in 33 ways; each of the other two points independently has probability 16\dfrac{1}{6} of lying in the next 60∘.60^\circ. Hence the probability is 3(16)2=112. 3\left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^2 = \frac{1}{12}.
Thus, the correct answer is D.
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