Difference between revisions of "2005 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 9"

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Three tiles are marked <math>X</math> and two other tiles are marked <math>O</math>. The five tiles are randomly arranged in a row. What is the probability that the arrangement reads <math>XOXOX</math>?
 
Three tiles are marked <math>X</math> and two other tiles are marked <math>O</math>. The five tiles are randomly arranged in a row. What is the probability that the arrangement reads <math>XOXOX</math>?
  
<math> \mathrm{(A) \ } \frac{1}{12}\qquad \mathrm{(B) \ } \frac{1}{10}\qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } \frac{1}{6}\qquad \mathrm{(D) \ } \frac{1}{4}\qquad \mathrm{(E) \ } \frac{1}{3} </math>
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<math> \textbf{(A) } \frac{1}{12}\qquad \textbf{(B) } \frac{1}{10}\qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac{1}{6}\qquad \textbf{(D) } \frac{1}{4}\qquad \textbf{(E) } \frac{1}{3} </math>
  
 
==Solution==
 
==Solution==

Revision as of 11:59, 13 December 2021

Problem

Three tiles are marked $X$ and two other tiles are marked $O$. The five tiles are randomly arranged in a row. What is the probability that the arrangement reads $XOXOX$?

$\textbf{(A) } \frac{1}{12}\qquad \textbf{(B) } \frac{1}{10}\qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac{1}{6}\qquad \textbf{(D) } \frac{1}{4}\qquad \textbf{(E) } \frac{1}{3}$

Solution

There are $\frac{5!}{2!3!}=10$ distinct arrangements of three $X$'s and two $O$'s.

There is only $1$ distinct arrangement that reads $XOXOX$

Therefore the desired probability is $\boxed{\frac{1}{10}} \Rightarrow \mathrm{(B)}$

See also

2005 AMC 10A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 8
Followed by
Problem 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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