Skip to main content

2009 AMC 12B Problem 23

Problem 23 of 25HarderAlgebraGeometryCounting & Probability

A region SS in the complex plane is defined by S={x+iy:1x1, 1y1}. \scriptsize S = \{x + iy : -1 \le x \le 1,\ -1 \le y \le 1\}. A complex number z=x+iyz = x + iy is chosen uniformly at random from S.S. What is the probability that (34+34i)z\left(\dfrac{3}{4} + \dfrac{3}{4}i\right)z is also in S?S?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Expanding, (34+34i)(x+iy)\left(\dfrac{3}{4} + \dfrac{3}{4}i\right)(x + iy) =34(xy)= \dfrac{3}{4}(x - y) +34(x+y)i.+ \dfrac{3}{4}(x + y)i. Both parts lie in [1,1][-1, 1] iff xy43|x - y| \le \dfrac{4}{3} and x+y43.|x + y| \le \dfrac{4}{3}. Within the square SS (area 44) these fail only in four corner triangles. Near (1,1),(1, 1), the line x+y=43x + y = \dfrac{4}{3} cuts off a right triangle with legs 23,\dfrac{2}{3}, area 122323=29.\dfrac{1}{2} \cdot \dfrac{2}{3} \cdot \dfrac{2}{3} = \dfrac{2}{9}. The four corners remove 429=89,4 \cdot \dfrac{2}{9} = \dfrac{8}{9}, leaving 489=289.4 - \dfrac{8}{9} = \dfrac{28}{9}. The probability is 2894=79.\dfrac{\frac{28}{9}}{4} = \dfrac{7}{9}. Thus, the correct answer is D.

More practice

Concepts: complex number · geometric probability · area

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