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Difference between revisions of "2019 AIME I Problems/Problem 5"

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Alternatively, one could recursively compute the probabilities of reaching <math>(0,0)</math> as the first axes point from any point <math>(x,y)</math> as <cmath>P(x,y) = \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y) + \frac{1}{3} P(x,y-1) + \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y-1)</cmath> for <math>x,y \geq 1,</math> and the base cases are
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One could recursively compute the probabilities of reaching <math>(0,0)</math> as the first axes point from any point <math>(x,y)</math> as <cmath>P(x,y) = \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y) + \frac{1}{3} P(x,y-1) + \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y-1)</cmath> for <math>x,y \geq 1,</math> and the base cases are
 
<math>P(0,0) = 1, P(x,0) = P(y,0) = 0</math> for any <math>x,y</math> not equal to one.
 
<math>P(0,0) = 1, P(x,0) = P(y,0) = 0</math> for any <math>x,y</math> not equal to one.
 
We then recursively find <math>P(4,4) = \frac{245}{2187}</math> so the answer is <math>245 + 7 = \boxed{252}</math>.
 
We then recursively find <math>P(4,4) = \frac{245}{2187}</math> so the answer is <math>245 + 7 = \boxed{252}</math>.

Revision as of 22:54, 7 March 2020

Problem 5

A moving particle starts at the point $(4,4)$ and moves until it hits one of the coordinate axes for the first time. When the particle is at the point $(a,b)$, it moves at random to one of the points $(a-1,b)$, $(a,b-1)$, or $(a-1,b-1)$, each with probability $\frac{1}{3}$, independently of its previous moves. The probability that it will hit the coordinate axes at $(0,0)$ is $\frac{m}{3^n}$, where $m$ and $n$ are positive integers. Find $m + n$.

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Solution

One could recursively compute the probabilities of reaching $(0,0)$ as the first axes point from any point $(x,y)$ as \[P(x,y) = \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y) + \frac{1}{3} P(x,y-1) + \frac{1}{3} P(x-1,y-1)\] for $x,y \geq 1,$ and the base cases are $P(0,0) = 1, P(x,0) = P(y,0) = 0$ for any $x,y$ not equal to one. We then recursively find $P(4,4) = \frac{245}{2187}$ so the answer is $245 + 7 = \boxed{252}$.


If this algebra seems intimidating, you can watch a nice pictorial explanation of this by On The Spot Stem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBRuy3_TM9w

See Also

2019 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 4 		Followed by
Problem 6
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions

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