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Algebra Level 3

Let S n S_n denote the sum of the first n n positive integers. The numbers S 1 , S 2 , , S 99 S_1, S_2, \ldots , S_{99} are written on 99 cards. What is the probability of drawing a card with an even number written on it?


The answer is 0.49.

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5 solutions

Jon Haussmann
Nov 12, 2014

@Mehul Chaturvedi : Please see point 2 of Suggestions for Sharers . Only mathematical expressions should be coded in LaTeX.

Adarsh Kumar
Nov 12, 2014

We know that S n = n ( n + 1 ) 2 . S_{n}=\dfrac{n*(n+1)}{2}. Now,we want that to be an even integer. ( n ) ( n + 1 ) \Rightarrow\ (n)(n+1) should be divisible by 4. 4. ( n ) ( n + 1 ) = 4 x . \\\Rightarrow(n)(n+1)=4x. Let us look at the ways that can happen : C a s e 1 : n = 4 a :Case\ 1:n=4a this can happen when a = 1 24. a=1\rightarrow24. C a s e 2 : ( n + 1 ) = 4 a Case\ 2:(n+1)=4a this can happen when a = 1 25. a=1\rightarrow25. You might be wondering why I didn't consider the case n = 2 a , ( n + 1 ) = 2 b n=2a,(n+1)=2b this is because g c d ( n , n + 1 ) = 1. gcd(n,n+1)=1. Thus,the total number of required cases = 24 + 25 = 49 =24+25=49 and the total number of cases = 99 =99\Rightarrow the required probability = 49 / 99. =49/99.

@mehulchaturvedi

Adarsh Kumar - 6 years, 7 months ago

Yeah so easy! Did the same! Overrated!

Kartik Sharma - 6 years, 7 months ago

Did the same way!!

Ninad Akolekar - 6 years, 6 months ago
Mohit Kuri
Nov 12, 2014

I have just written terms from S1 to S2 and observed a trend i.e. First 2 are odd next 2 are even , this means that this process will have equal number of even and odd numbers till each multiple of 4 thus until 96 , and further S97, S98 are odd and S99 in even . Thus total even no.s are 49 . Thus probability of even no is 49/99

Robert Haywood
Nov 14, 2014

So... were you not able to solve this yourself? If I were to get the same answer as you (the correct answer, obviously, since I am writing a solution), wouldn't that only mean that I am only (as far as we know) just as smart as you are?

These are the title of my probs.

Mehul Chaturvedi - 6 years, 7 months ago
Rakesh Arya
Nov 11, 2014

Sn = n(n+1)/2 so, for an even Sn, n(n+1)/2 should be divisible by 2, n(n+1) should be divisible by 4, either n or n+1 should have 4 as a factor, counting all multiples of 4 and the preceding numbers (3,7,11 ...) we get 48. probability is 48/99

99 is preceding 100 but 100 is out if range so total no. 49

Mayank Shrivastava - 6 years, 7 months ago

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