This website contains problems from math contests. Problems and corresponding tags were obtained from the Art of Problem Solving website.

Tags were heavily modified to better represent problems.

AND:
OR:
NO:

Found problems: 1111

2001 Stanford Mathematics Tournament, 12

A binary string is a string consisting of only 0’s and 1’s (for instance, 001010, 101, etc.). What is the probability that a randomly chosen binary string of length 10 has 2 consecutive 0’s? Express your answer as a fraction.

1988 AIME Problems, 5

Tags: probability
Let $m/n$, in lowest terms, be the probability that a randomly chosen positive divisor of $10^{99}$ is an integer multiple of $10^{88}$. Find $m + n$.

1989 Putnam, B6

Let $(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n)$ be a point chosen at random in the $n$-dimensional region defined by $0<x_1<x_2<\ldots<x_n<1$, denoting $x_0=0$ and $x_{n+1}=1$. Let $f$ be a continuous function on $[0,1]$ with $f(1)=0$. Show that the expected value of the sum $$\sum_{i=0}^n(x_{i+1}-x_i)f(x_{i+1})$$is $\int^1_0f(t)P(t)dt$., where $P$ is a polynomial of degree $n$, independent of $f$, with $0\le P(t)\le1$ for $0\le t\le1$.

2019 BMT Spring, 1

A fair coin is repeatedly flipped until $2019$ consecutive coin flips are the same. Compute the probability that the first and last flips of the coin come up differently.

1985 Tournament Of Towns, (101) 5

Two people throw coins. One throws his coin $10$ times, the other throws his $11$ times . What is the probability that the second coin fell showing "heads" a greater number of times than the first? (For those not familiar with Probability Theory this question could have been reformulated thus : Consider various arrangements of a $21$ digit number in which each digit must be a " $1$ " or a "$2$" . Among all such numbers what fraction of them will have more occurrences of the digit "$2$" among the last $11$ digits than among the first $10$?) (S. Fomin , Leningrad)

2007 ITest, 19

One day Jason finishes his math homework early, and decides to take a jog through his neighborhood. While jogging, Jason trips over a leprechaun. After dusting himself off and apologizing to the odd little magical creature, Jason, thinking there is nothing unusual about the situation, starts jogging again. Immediately the leprechaun calls out, "hey, stupid, this is your only chance to win gold from a leprechaun!" Jason, while not particularly greedy, recognizes the value of gold. Thinking about his limited college savings, Jason approaches the leprechaun and asks about the opportunity. The leprechaun hands Jason a fair coin and tells him to flip it as many times as it takes to flip a head. For each tail Jason flips, the leprechaun promises one gold coin. If Jason flips a head right away, he wins nothing. If he first flips a tail, then a head, he wins one gold coin. If he's lucky and flips ten tails before the first head, he wins $\textit{ten gold coins.}$ What is the expected number of gold coins Jason wins at this game? $\textbf{(A) }0\hspace{14em}\textbf{(B) }\dfrac1{10}\hspace{13.5em}\textbf{(C) }\dfrac18$ $\textbf{(D) }\dfrac15\hspace{13.8em}\textbf{(E) }\dfrac14\hspace{14em}\textbf{(F) }\dfrac13$ $\textbf{(G) }\dfrac25\hspace{13.7em}\textbf{(H) }\dfrac12\hspace{14em}\textbf{(I) }\dfrac35$ $\textbf{(J) }\dfrac23\hspace{14em}\textbf{(K) }\dfrac45\hspace{14em}\textbf{(L) }1$ $\textbf{(M) }\dfrac54\hspace{13.5em}\textbf{(N) }\dfrac43\hspace{14em}\textbf{(O) }\dfrac32$ $\textbf{(P) }2\hspace{14.1em}\textbf{(Q) }3\hspace{14.2em}\textbf{(R) }4$ $\textbf{(S) }2007$

1983 AMC 12/AHSME, 26

Tags: probability
The probability that event $A$ occurs is $\frac{3}{4}$; the probability that event $B$ occurs is $\frac{2}{3}$. Let $p$ be the probability that both $A$ and $B$ occur. The smallest interval necessarily containing $p$ is the interval $ \textbf{(A)}\ \Big[\frac{1}{12},\frac{1}{2}\Big]\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \Big[\frac{5}{12},\frac{1}{2}\Big]\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \Big[\frac{1}{2},\frac{2}{3}\Big]\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \Big[\frac{5}{12},\frac{2}{3}\Big]\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \Big[\frac{1}{12},\frac{2}{3}\Big]$

2011 AIME Problems, 15

Let $P(x)=x^2-3x-9$. A real number $x$ is chosen at random from the interval $5\leq x \leq 15$. The probability that $\lfloor \sqrt{P(x)} \rfloor = \sqrt{P(\lfloor x \rfloor )}$ is equal to $\dfrac{\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}+\sqrt{c}-d}{e}$, where $a,b,c,d$ and $e$ are positive integers and none of $a,b,$ or $c$ is divisible by the square of a prime. Find $a+b+c+d+e$.

2008 VJIMC, Problem 4

We consider the following game for one person. The aim of the player is to reach a fixed capital $C>2$. The player begins with capital $0<x_0<C$. In each turn let $x$ be the player’s current capital. Define $s(x)$ as follows: $$s(x):=\begin{cases}x&\text{if }x<1\\C-x&\text{if }C-x<1\\1&\text{otherwise.}\end{cases}$$Then a fair coin is tossed and the player’s capital either increases or decreases by $s(x)$, each with probability $\frac12$. Find the probability that in a finite number of turns the player wins by reaching the capital $C$.

1985 Iran MO (2nd round), 5

In the Archery with an especial gun, the probability of goal is $90 \%.$ If we continue our work until we goal. [b]i)[/b] What is the probability which exactly $3$ balls consumed. [b]ii)[/b] What is the probability which at least $3$ balls consumed.

2005 iTest, 3

[b]3A.[/b] Sudoku, the popular math game that caught on internationally before making its way here to the United States, is a game of logic based on a grid of $9$ rows and $9$ columns. This grid is subdivided into $9$ squares (“subgrids”) of length $3$. A successfully completed Sudoku puzzle fills this grid with the numbers $1$ through $9$ such that each number appears only once in each row, column, and individual $3 \times 3$ subgrid. Each Sudoku puzzle has one and only one correct solution. Complete the following Sudoku puzzle, and find the sum of the numbers represented by $X, Y$, and $Z$ in the grid. [i](1 point)[/i] $\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|} \hline & & 2 & 9 & 7 & 4 & & & \\ \hline & Z & & & & & & 5 & 7 \\ \hline & & & & & & Y & & \\ \hline & & 4 & & 5 & & & & 2 \\ \hline & & 9 & X & 1 & & 6 & & \\ \hline 8 & & & & 3 & & 4 & & \\ \hline & & & & & & & & \\ \hline 1 & 3 & & & & & & & \\ \hline & & & 6 & 8 & 2 & 9 & & \\ \hline \end{tabular}$ [b]3B.[/b] Let $A$ equal the correct answer from [b]3A[/b]. In triangle $WXY$, $tan \angle YWX= (A + 8) / .5A$, and the altitude from $W$ divides $XY$ into segments of $3$ and $A + 3$. What is the sum of the digits of the square of the area of the triangle? [i](2 points)[/i] [b]3C.[/b] Let $B$ equal the correct answer from [b]3B[/b]. If a student team taking the $2005$ iTest solves $B$ problems correctly, and the probability that this student team makes over a $18$ is $x/y$ where $x$ and $y$ are relatively prime, find $x + y$. Assume that each chain reaction question – all $3$ parts it contains – counts as a single problem. Also assume that the student team does not attempt any tiebreakers. [i](4 points)[/i] [i][Note for problem 3C beacuse you might not know how points are given at that iTest: Part A (aka Short Answer), has 40 problems of 1 point each, total 40 Part B (aka Chain Reaction), has 3 problems of 7,6,7 points each, total 20 Part C (aka Long Answer), has 5 problems of 8 point each, total 40 all 3 parts add to 100 points totally ([url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c3176431_itest_2005]here [/url] is that test)][/i] [hide=ANSWER KEY]3A.14 3B. 4 3C. 6563 [/hide]

2007 IMS, 2

Does there exist two unfair dices such that probability of their sum being $j$ be a number in $\left(\frac2{33},\frac4{33}\right)$ for each $2\leq j\leq 12$?

2022 Vietnam National Olympiad, 2

We are given 4 similar dices. Denote $x_i (1\le x_i \le 6)$ be the number of dots on a face appearing on the $i$-th dice $1\le i \le 4$ a) Find the numbers of $(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4)$ b) Find the probability that there is a number $x_j$ such that $x_j$ is equal to the sum of the other 3 numbers c) Find the probability that we can divide $x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4$ into 2 groups has the same sum

2013 HMNT, 4

There are $2$ runners on the perimeter of a regular hexagon, initially located at adjacent vertices. Every second, each of the runners independently moves either one vertex to the left, with probability $\frac{1}{2}$, or one vertex to the right, also with probability $\frac{1}{2}$. Find the probability that after a $2013$ second run (in which runners switch vertices $2013$ times each), the runners end up at adjacent vertices once again.

1979 Spain Mathematical Olympiad, 6

An urn was filled with three balls by the following procedure: it was thrown a coin three times, inserting, each time a white ball came up heads, and every time tails came up, a black ball. We draw from this urn, four times consecutive, one ball; we return it to the urn before the next extraction. Which is the probability that in the four extractions a cue ball is obtained?

2012 QEDMO 11th, 2

$N$ unfair coins (with heads and tails on the sides) are thrown, with the $k^{th}$ coin has got a chance of $\frac{1}{2k + 1}$ to land on tails.How high is the probability that an odd number of coins will show tails?

Kvant 2021, M2673

There are $n{}$ passengers in the queue to board a $n{}$-seat plane. The first one in the queue is an absent-minded old lady who, after boarding the plane, sits down at a randomly selected place. Each subsequent passenger sits in his seat if it is free, and in a random seat otherwise. How many passengers will be out of their seats on average? [i]Proposed by A. Zaslavsky[/i]

1991 AIME Problems, 3

Expanding $(1+0.2)^{1000}$ by the binomial theorem and doing no further manipulation gives \begin{eqnarray*} &\ & \binom{1000}{0}(0.2)^0+\binom{1000}{1}(0.2)^1+\binom{1000}{2}(0.2)^2+\cdots+\binom{1000}{1000}(0.2)^{1000}\\ &\ & = A_0 + A_1 + A_2 + \cdots + A_{1000}, \end{eqnarray*} where $A_k = \binom{1000}{k}(0.2)^k$ for $k = 0,1,2,\ldots,1000$. For which $k$ is $A_k$ the largest?

2009 AMC 12/AHSME, 17

Each face of a cube is given a single narrow stripe painted from the center of one edge to the center of its opposite edge. The choice of the edge pairing is made at random and independently for each face. What is the probability that there is a continuous stripe encircling the cube? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac {1}{8}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {3}{16}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac {1}{4} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac {3}{8}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac {1}{2}$

2010 Princeton University Math Competition, 1

PUMaCDonalds, a newly-opened fast food restaurant, has 5 menu items. If the first 4 customers each choose one menu item at random, the probability that the 4th customer orders a previously unordered item is $m/n$, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $m+n$.

2013 NIMO Problems, 6

Tom has a scientific calculator. Unfortunately, all keys are broken except for one row: 1, 2, 3, + and -. Tom presses a sequence of $5$ random keystrokes; at each stroke, each key is equally likely to be pressed. The calculator then evaluates the entire expression, yielding a result of $E$. Find the expected value of $E$. (Note: Negative numbers are permitted, so 13-22 gives $E = -9$. Any excess operators are parsed as signs, so -2-+3 gives $E=-5$ and -+-31 gives $E = 31$. Trailing operators are discarded, so 2++-+ gives $E=2$. A string consisting only of operators, such as -++-+, gives $E=0$.) [i]Proposed by Lewis Chen[/i]

2005 USAMTS Problems, 2

George has six ropes. He chooses two of the twelve loose ends at random (possibly from the same rope), and ties them together, leaving ten loose ends. He again chooses two loose ends at random and joins them, and so on, until there are no loose ends. Find, with proof, the expected value of the number of loops George ends up with.

2012 Purple Comet Problems, 28

A bag contains $8$ green candies and $4$ red candies. You randomly select one candy at a time to eat. If you eat five candies, there are relatively prime positive integers $m$ and $n$ so that $\frac{m}{n}$ is the probability that you do not eat a green candy after you eat a red candy. Find $m+n$.

2016 Fall CHMMC, 11

Let $a,b \in [0,1], c \in [-1,1]$ be reals chosen independently and uniformly at random. What is the probability that $p(x) = ax^2+bx+c$ has a root in $[0,1]$?

2012 AMC 12/AHSME, 17

Let $S$ be a subset of $\{1,2,3,\dots,30\}$ with the property that no pair of distinct elements in $S$ has a sum divisible by $5$. What is the largest possible size of $S$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 10\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 13\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 15\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 16\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 18 $