jmc

Question

Objects A and B move simultaneously in the coordinate plane via a sequence of steps, each of length one. Object A starts at (0,0) and each of its steps is either right or up, both equally likely. Object B starts at (5,7) and each of its steps is either left or down, both equally likely. Which of the following is closest to the probability that the objects meet? A. 0.10 B. 0.15 C. 0.20 D. 0.25 E. 0.30 (Type the letter that corresponds to your answer.)

Accepted Answer

Since there are twelve steps between (0,0) and (5,7), A and B can meet only after they have each moved six steps. The possible meeting places are P_0 = (0,6), P_1 = (1,5), P_2 = (2,4), P_3=(3,3), P_4 = (4,2), and P_5 = (5,1). Let a_i and b_i denote the number of paths to P_i from (0,0) and (5,7), respectively. Since A has to take i steps to the right and B has to take i+1 steps down, the number of ways in which A and B can meet at P_i is a_i b_i = 6i 6i+1. Since A and B can each take 2^6 paths in six steps, the probability that they meet is align* &_i = 0^5 ( a_i2^6)( b_i2^6 ) & = 6061 + 6162 + 6263 + 6364+ 6465 + 65662^12 & = 99512 & 0.20. align*