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Printimc
counting and probability intermediate
Problem
Six distinct positive integers are randomly chosen between and , inclusive. What is the probability that some pair of these integers has a difference that is a multiple of ?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
Solution
For two numbers to have a difference that is a multiple of , the numbers must be congruent (their remainders after division by must be the same). are the possible values of numbers in . Since there are only possible values in and we are picking numbers, by the Pigeonhole Principle, two of the numbers must be congruent . Therefore the probability that some pair of the integers has a difference that is a multiple of is .
Final answer
E