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2014 AMC 10B Problem 19

Problem 19 of 25HarderGeometryCounting & Probability

Two concentric circles have radii 11 and 2.2. Two points on the outer circle are chosen independently and uniformly at random. What is the probability that the chord joining the two points intersects the inner circle?

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Solution

Fix the first endpoint AA on the outer circle. Draw the two chords from AA that are tangent to the inner circle, and call their other endpoints BB and CC. A chord from AA meets the inner circle exactly when its second endpoint lies on the minor arc BCBC. If OO is the common center and DD is a tangency point, then AOD\triangle AOD is right, with OA=2OA=2 and OD=1OD=1. Hence OAD=30\angle OAD=30^\circ. The two tangent chords therefore make a 6060^\circ angle at AA, so the intercepted minor arc BCBC measures 120120^\circ. Therefore, the probability is 120360=13.\dfrac {120^\circ}{360^\circ} = \dfrac 13 . Thus, the correct answer is D .

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Concepts: geometric probability · chord · tangent line

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.