Question

Three numbers in the interval $[0,1]$ are chosen independently and at random. What is the probability that the chosen numbers are the side lengths of a triangle with positive area?

$\dfrac{1}{6}$

$\dfrac{1}{3}$

$\dfrac{1}{2}$

$\dfrac{2}{3}$

$\dfrac{5}{6}$

Solution:

The ordered triples $(x,y,z)$ fill the unit cube of volume $1.$ They fail to form a triangle exactly when one value is at least the sum of the other two.

The region $z\ge x+y$ is a tetrahedron with vertices $(0,0,0),(0,0,1),(0,1,1),(1,0,1)$ of volume $\frac16.$ The analogous regions $x\ge y+z$ and $y\ge x+z$ also have volume $\frac16$ and have disjoint interiors. So the failure probability is $3\cdot\frac16=\frac12,$ and the triangle probability is $1-\frac12=\frac12.$

Thus, the correct answer is C.

2016 AMC 12A Problem 23

Solution:

Problem 23 in Other Years