Natalie has a copy of the unit interval $[0,1]$ that is colored white. She also has a black marker, and she colors the interval in the following manner: at each step, she selects a value $x\in [0,1]$ uniformly at random, and (a) If $x\leq\tfrac12$ she colors the interval $[x,x+\tfrac12]$ with her marker. (b) If $x>\tfrac12$ she colors the intervals $[x,1]$ and $[0,x-\tfrac12]$ with her marker. What is the expected value of the number of steps Natalie will need to color the entire interval black?

What is the probability of having $2$ adjacent white balls or $2$ adjacent blue balls in a random arrangement of $3$ red, $2$ white and $2$ blue balls? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \dfrac{2}{5} \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \dfrac{3}{7} \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \dfrac{16}{35} \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \dfrac{10}{21} \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \dfrac{5}{14} $

Suppose $x$ is a random real number between $1$ and $4$, and $y$ is a random real number between $1$ and $9$. If the expected value of \[ \left\lceil \log_2 x \right\rceil - \left\lfloor \log_3 y \right\rfloor \] can be expressed as $\frac mn$ where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers, compute $100m + n$. [i]Proposed by Lewis Chen[/i]

A deck of $ n$ playing cards, which contains three aces, is shuffled at random (it is assumed that all possible card distributions are equally likely). The cards are then turned up one by one from the top until the second ace appears. Prove that the expected (average) number of cards to be turned up is $ (n\plus{}1)/2$.

Jeff rotates spinners $ P$, $ Q$ and $ R$ and adds the resulting numbers. What is the probability that his sum is an odd number? [asy]size(200); path circle=circle((0,0),2); path r=(0,0)--(0,2); draw(circle,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(5,0)*circle,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*circle,linewidth(1)); draw(r,linewidth(1)); draw(rotate(120)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(rotate(240)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(5,0)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(5,0)*rotate(90)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(5,0)*rotate(180)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(5,0)*rotate(270)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*rotate(60)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*rotate(120)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*rotate(180)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*rotate(240)*r,linewidth(1)); draw(shift(10,0)*rotate(300)*r,linewidth(1)); label("$P$", (-2,2)); label("$Q$", shift(5,0)*(-2,2)); label("$R$", shift(10,0)*(-2,2)); label("$1$", (-1,sqrt(2)/2)); label("$2$", (1,sqrt(2)/2)); label("$3$", (0,-1)); label("$2$", shift(5,0)*(-sqrt(2)/2,sqrt(2)/2)); label("$4$", shift(5,0)*(sqrt(2)/2,sqrt(2)/2)); label("$6$", shift(5,0)*(sqrt(2)/2,-sqrt(2)/2)); label("$8$", shift(5,0)*(-sqrt(2)/2,-sqrt(2)/2)); label("$1$", shift(10,0)*(-0.5,1)); label("$3$", shift(10,0)*(0.5,1)); label("$5$", shift(10,0)*(1,0)); label("$7$", shift(10,0)*(0.5,-1)); label("$9$", shift(10,0)*(-0.5,-1)); label("$11$", shift(10,0)*(-1,0));[/asy] $ \textbf{(A)}\ \dfrac{1}{4} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \dfrac{1}{3} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \dfrac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \dfrac{2}{3} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \dfrac{3}{4}$

A bag contains four pieces of paper, each labeled with one of the digits $1$, $2$, $3$ or $4$, with no repeats. Three of these pieces are drawn, one at a time without replacement, to construct a three-digit number. What is the probability that the three-digit number is a multiple of $3$? $\textbf{(A)}\ \frac{1}{4} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac{1}{3} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac{2}{3} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac{3}{4}$

Suppose you are given a fair coin and a sheet of paper with the polynomial $x^m$ written on it. Now for each toss of the coin, if heads show up, you must erase the polynomial $x^r$ (where $r$ is going to change with time - initially it is $m$) written on the paper and replace it with $x^{r-1}$. If tails show up, replace it with $x^{r+1}$. What is the expected value of the polynomial I get after $m$ such tosses? (Note: this is a different concept from the most probable value)

Let $a, b, c, d$ be a permutation of the numbers $1, 9, 8,4$ and let $n = (10a + b)^{10c+d}$. Find the probability that $1984!$ is divisible by $n.$

Bhairav the Bat lives next to a town where $12.5$% of the inhabitants have Type AB blood. When Bhairav the Bat leaves his cave at night to suck of the inhabitants blood, chooses individuals at random until he bites one with type AB blood, after which he stops. What is the expected value of the number of individuals Bhairav the Bat will bite in any given night? [i]2015 CCA Math Bonanza Lightning Round #3.1[/i]

Let $b$ be a real number randomly sepected from the interval $[-17,17]$. Then, $m$ and $n$ are two relatively prime positive integers such that $m/n$ is the probability that the equation \[x^4+25b^2=(4b^2-10b)x^2\] has $\textit{at least}$ two distinct real solutions. Find the value of $m+n$.

Xavier takes a permutation of the numbers $1$ through $2011$ at random, where each permutation has an equal probability of being selected. He then cuts the permutation into increasing contiguous subsequences, such that each subsequence is as long as possible. Compute the expected number of such subsequences. [i]Author: Alex Zhu[/i] [hide="Clarification"]An increasing contiguous subsequence is an increasing subsequence all of whose terms are adjacent in the original sequence. For example, 1,3,4,5,2 has two maximal increasing contiguous subsequences: (1,3,4,5) and (2). [/hide]

In a small pond there are eleven lily pads in a row labeled $0$ through $10$. A frog is sitting on pad $1$. When the frog is on pad $N$, $0<N<10$, it will jump to pad $N-1$ with probability $\frac{N}{10}$ and to pad $N+1$ with probability $1-\frac{N}{10}$. Each jump is independent of the previous jumps. If the frog reaches pad $0$ it will be eaten by a patiently waiting snake. If the frog reaches pad $10$ it will exit the pond, never to return. What is the probability that the frog will escape being eaten by the snake? $ \textbf {(A) } \frac{32}{79} \qquad \textbf {(B) } \frac{161}{384} \qquad \textbf {(C) } \frac{63}{146} \qquad \textbf {(D) } \frac{7}{16} \qquad \textbf {(E) } \frac{1}{2} $

A fair standard six-sided dice is tossed three times. Given that the sum of the first two tosses equal the third, what is the probability that at least one $2$ is tossed? $\displaystyle \textbf{(A)} \ \frac{1}{6} \qquad \textbf{(B)} \ \frac{91}{216} \qquad \textbf{(C)} \ \frac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(D)} \ \frac{8}{15} \qquad \textbf{(E)} \ \frac{7}{12}$

Two distinct numbers $ a$ and $ b$ are chosen randomly from the set $ \{ 2, 2^2, 2^3, \ldots, 2^{25} \}$. What is the probability that $ \log_{a} b$ is an integer? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac {2}{25} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {31}{300} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac {13}{100} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac {7}{50} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac {1}{2}$

For $p_0,\dots,p_d\in\mathbb{R}^d$, let \[ S(p_0,\dots,p_d)=\left\{ \alpha_0p_0+\dots+\alpha_dp_d : \alpha_i\le 1, \sum_{i=0}^d \alpha_i =1 \right\}. \] Let $\pi$ be an arbitrary probability distribution on $\mathbb{R}^d$, and choose $p_0,\dots,p_d$ independently with distribution $\pi$. Prove that the expectation of $\pi(S(p_0,\dots,p_d))$ is at least $1/(d+2)$.

For every $m$ and $k$ integers with $k$ odd, denote by $[\frac{m}{k}]$ the integer closest to $\frac{m}{k}$. For every odd integer $k$, let $P\left(k\right)$ be the probability that \[ [\frac{n}{k}] + [\frac{100-n}{k}] = [\frac{100}{k}] \] for an integer $n$ randomly chosen from the interval $1 \le n \le 99!$. What is the minimum possible value of $P\left(k\right)$ over the odd integers $k$ in the interval $1 \le k \le 99$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac{50}{99} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac{44}{87} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac{34}{67} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac{7}{13} $

Hi guys, I was just reading over old posts that I made last year ( :P ) and saw how much the level of Getting Started became harder. To encourage more people from posting, I decided to start a Problem of the Day. This is how I'll conduct this: 1. In each post (not including this one since it has rules, etc) everyday, I'll post the problem. I may post another thread after it to give hints though. 2. Level of problem.. This is VERY important. All problems in this thread will be all AHSME or problems similar to this level. No AIME. Some AHSME problems, however, that involve tough insight or skills will not be posted. The chosen problems will be usually ones that everyone can solve after working. Calculators are allowed when you solve problems but it is NOT necessary. 3. Response.. All you have to do is simply solve the problem and post the solution. There is no credit given or taken away if you get the problem wrong. This isn't like other threads where the number of problems you get right or not matters. As for posting, post your solutions here in this thread. Do NOT PM me. Also, here are some more restrictions when posting solutions: A. No single answer post. It doesn't matter if you put hide and say "Answer is ###..." If you don't put explanation, it simply means you cheated off from some other people. I've seen several posts that went like "I know the answer" and simply post the letter. What is the purpose of even posting then? Huh? B. Do NOT go back to the previous problem(s). This causes too much confusion. C. You're FREE to give hints and post different idea, way or answer in some cases in problems. If you see someone did wrong or you don't understand what they did, post here. That's what this thread is for. 4. Main purpose.. This is for anyone who visits this forum to enjoy math. I rememeber when I first came into this forum, I was poor at math compared to other people. But I kindly got help from many people such as JBL, joml88, tokenadult, and many other people that would take too much time to type. Perhaps without them, I wouldn't be even a moderator in this forum now. This site clearly made me to enjoy math more and more and I'd like to do the same thing. That's about the rule.. Have fun problem solving! Next post will contain the Day 1 Problem. You can post the solutions until I post one. :D

Consider a matrix of size $n\times n$ whose entries are real numbers of absolute value not exceeding $1$. The sum of all entries of the matrix is $0$. Let $n$ be an even positive integer. Determine the least number $C$ such that every such matrix necessarily has a row or a column with the sum of its entries not exceeding $C$ in absolute value. [i]Proposed by Marcin Kuczma, Poland[/i]

There are two cards; one is red on both sides and the other is red on one side and blue on the other. The cards have the same probability (1/2) of being chosen, and one is chosen and placed on the table. If the upper side of the card on the table is red, then the probability that the under-side is also red is $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac14 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac13 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac12 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac23 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac34$

Four fair six-sided dice are rolled. What is the probability that at least three of the four dice show the same value? $ \textbf{(A) } \frac{1}{36} \qquad\textbf{(B) } \frac{7}{72} \qquad\textbf{(C) } \frac{1}{9} \qquad\textbf{(D) }\frac{5}{36}\qquad\textbf{(E) }\frac{1}{6} \qquad $

A radio program has a quiz consisting of $3$ multiple-choice questions, each with $3$ choices. A contestant wins if he or she gets $2$ or more of the questions right. The contestant answers randomly to each question. What is the probability of winning? $\textbf{(A) } \frac{1}{27}\qquad \textbf{(B) } \frac{1}{9}\qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac{2}{9}\qquad \textbf{(D) } \frac{7}{27}\qquad \textbf{(E) } \frac{1}{2}$

Kayla rolls four fair $6$-sided dice. What is the probability that at least one of the numbers Kayla rolls is greater than $4$ and at least two of the numbers she rolls are greater than $2$? $\textbf{(A)}\frac{2}{3}~\textbf{(B)}\frac{19}{27}~\textbf{(C)}\frac{59}{81}~\textbf{(D)}\frac{61}{81}~\textbf{(E)}\frac{7}{9}$

Is there a gambling game with an honest coin for two players, in which the probability of one of them winning is $\frac{1}{{\pi}^e}$.

Four points are chosen at random on the surface of a sphere. What is the probability that the center of the sphere lies inside the tetrahedron whose vertices are at the four points?

Three friends are trying to meet for lunch at a cafe. Each friend will arrive independently at random between $1\!:\!00$ pm and $2\!:\!00$ pm. Each friend will only wait for $5$ minutes by themselves before leaving. However, if another friend arrives within those $5$ minutes, the pair will wait $15$ minutes from the time the second friend arrives. If the probability that the three friends meet for lunch can be expressed in simplest form as $\tfrac{m}{n}$, what is $m+n$?