Skip to main content

2003 AMC 12B Problem 25

Problem 25 of 25HarderGeometryProbability & Statistics

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?

Answer choices

Show solution

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.
AoPS wiki

Tagged: geometric probability · arc · chord

More practice