Question

Azar and Carl play a game of tic-tac-toe. Azar places an $X$ in one of the boxes in a $3$ -by- $3$ array of boxes, then Carl places an $O$ in one of the remaining boxes. After that, Azar places an $X$ in one of the remaining boxes, and so on until all $9$ boxes are filled or one of the players has $3$ of their symbols in a row — horizontal, vertical, or diagonal — whichever comes first, in which case that player wins the game. Suppose the players make their moves at random, rather than trying to follow a rational strategy, and that Carl wins the game when he places his third $O.$ How many ways can the board look after the game is over?

$36$

$112$

$120$

$148$

$160$

Solution:

Carl wins on his third $O,$ so the board has three $O$ s forming one of the $8$ lines and three $X$ s in the other six cells. The $X$ s must not form a line (else Azar would have won first).

If the $O$ line is a row or column ( $6$ choices), the remaining six cells contain two full lines, so valid $X$ placements number $\binom{6}{3} - 2 = 18.$ If the $O$ line is a diagonal ( $2$ choices), the remaining six cells contain no full line, giving $\binom{6}{3} = 20.$

The total is $6\cdot 18 + 2\cdot 20 = 108 + 40 = 148.$

Thus, the correct answer is D.

2021 AMC 12A Fall Problem 22

Solution:

Problem 22 in Other Years