2 circles

Geometry Level 3

A circle with center point β \beta is placed on another circle with center point α \alpha such that it goes through an arbitrary point γ \gamma on the circle with center point α \alpha . What is the probability that the circle with center point β \beta and the line segment α β |\alpha \beta| intersect?

1 3 \frac{1}{3} 1 6 \frac{1}{6} 1 2 \frac{1}{2} 1 4 \frac{1}{4}

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1 solution

Zico Quintina
May 5, 2018

Call the other intersection point of the two circles γ \gamma' . Now move γ \gamma (and γ \gamma' ) close enough to β \beta so that the circle with center β \beta goes through α \alpha . At that position, both circles have equal radii, and α β = α γ = β γ \alpha \beta = \alpha \gamma = \beta \gamma so α β γ \triangle \alpha \beta \gamma is equilateral making arc γ β γ = 2 π 3 \gamma \beta \gamma' = \frac{2\pi}{3} , i.e one third of the circumference of the circle with center α \alpha . Clearly for the circle with center β \beta to intersect α β , γ \alpha \beta, \gamma has to be on that third of the circumference, so the probability is 1 3 \boxed{\frac{1}{3}}

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