Skip to main content
OlympiadHQ

Browse · MATH

Print

jmc

counting and probability senior

Problem

Four points, , , , and , are chosen randomly and independently on the circumference of a circle. What is the probability that segments and intersect?
Solution
Consider the four random points before they are labeled , , , or . In the general case, they will be distinct, forming a convex quadrilateral. Suppose is labeled. If is labeled as the vertex opposite , segments and will intersect; otherwise, they will not. Since there are 3 points to label as , the probability these segments intersect is . In this diagram, the green edges represent the labeling where and intersect, and the blue and red edges represent the equally likely labelings where and do not intersect.
Final answer
\frac{1}{3}