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2024 AMC 12B Problem 17

Problem 17 of 25IntermediateAlgebraCounting & Probability

Integers aa and bb are randomly chosen without replacement from the set of integers with absolute value not exceeding 10.10. What is the probability that the polynomial x3+ax2+bx+6x^3 + ax^2 + bx + 6 has 33 distinct integer roots?

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Solution

The set has 2121 integers, so there are 2120=42021 \cdot 20 = 420 ordered choices of (a,b).(a, b). If the polynomial has distinct integer roots p,q,r,p, q, r, then pqr=6,pqr = -6, a=(p+q+r),a = -(p + q + r), and b=pq+qr+rp.b = pq + qr + rp. The triples of distinct integers with product 6-6 are {1,2,3},\{1, 2, -3\}, {1,2,3},\{1, -2, 3\}, {1,2,3},\{-1, 2, 3\}, {1,2,3},\{-1, -2, -3\}, and {1,1,6}.\{1, -1, 6\}. These give (a,b)=(0,7),(a, b) = (0, -7), (2,5),(-2, -5), (4,1),(-4, 1), (6,11),(6, 11), and (6,1).(-6, -1). The fourth has b=11>10,b = 11 \gt 10, so it is invalid; the other four are valid and distinct. The probability is 4420=1105.\dfrac{4}{420} = \dfrac{1}{105}. Thus, the correct answer is C.

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Concepts: Vieta’s Formulas · basic probability · casework

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