Question

Three balls are randomly and independently tossed into bins numbered with the positive integers so that for each ball, the probability that it is tossed into bin $i$ is $2^{-i}$ for $i=1,2,3,\ldots.$ More than one ball is allowed in each bin. The probability that the balls end up evenly spaced in distinct bins is $\dfrac{p}{q},$ where $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime positive integers. (For example, the balls are evenly spaced if they are tossed into bins $3, 17,$ and $10.$ ) What is $p+q?$

$55$

$56$

$57$

$58$

$59$

Solution:

Evenly spaced distinct bins form an arithmetic progression $n,n+d,n+2d$ with $n,d\ge 1.$ The three labels sum to $3(n+d),$ so a fixed assignment of balls to these bins has probability $2^{-3(n+d)}.$

The three balls can be ordered in $3!=6$ ways, so the total probability is $6\sum_{n\ge 1}\sum_{d\ge 1}2^{-3(n+d)}=6\left(\sum_{n\ge 1}\tfrac{1}{8^n}\right)^2=6\cdot\tfrac17\cdot\tfrac17=\tfrac{6}{49}.$

Since $\gcd(6,49)=1,$ we get $p+q=6+49=55.$

Thus, the correct answer is A.

2021 AMC 12B Spring Problem 23

Solution:

Problem 23 in Other Years