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Counting and probability ZIML Challenge Problems Areteem Winter Camp Notes

 
 
smithAethon的头像
Counting and probability ZIML Challenge Problems Areteem Winter Camp Notes
smithAethon - 2024年01月6日 Saturday 13:35
 

A number between 0 and 50 is chosen on a number line (so the number is not necessarily an integer). The probability that the number is within 2 units of a multiple of 10 can be expressed as the reduced fraction P/Q for positive integers P and Q. What is P+Q?

 
WangDr. Kevin的头像
Re: Counting and probability ZIML Challenge Problems Areteem Winter Camp Notes
WangDr. Kevin - 2024年01月8日 Monday 00:55
 

Do you have trouble understanding the question? Or have trouble about how to start?  Or do you get an answer that doesn't make sense? 

Anyway, this is geometrical probability, abut length.  The total length of the whole sample space is $50$.  The desired intervals consist of numbers within 2 units of a multiple of $10$, thus we want $(8,12)$, $(18, 22)$, etc.  Remember though, $0$ and $50$ are also multiples of $10$ and the interval near them are $(0,2)$ and $(48,50)$.  Now the probability is just the total length of these intervals divided by $50$.