Happy Chicken Year!

A happy hen lays 2 eggs every day before they are transported to 3 separate painting stations, where each egg is labeled as red, blue, or green color. Keeping the statistics, you observe that:

The probability of getting at least 1 red egg in a day is 2 3 \frac{2}{3} .

The probability of getting at least 1 blue egg in a day is 2 4 \frac{2}{4} .

The probability of getting at least 1 green egg in a day is 2 5 \frac{2}{5} .

Furthermore, the probability of obtaining each one sole color in a day and each color combination in a day can be written in a form of 1 n \dfrac{1}{n} for some positive integer n n less than 30.

If the probability of acquiring 2 blue eggs in a day is 1 x \frac{1}{x} , what is x x ?


The answer is 10.

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1 solution

From the question, there are 6 6 possible outcomes from this laying (R = red; B = blue; G = green) :

(R, R), (B, B), (G, G), (R, B), (B, G), (G, R)

Also, we know that for each outcome, such probability can be written as 1 n \dfrac{1}{n} for some natural number n n .

By applying Venn's diagram, the probability for each event can be calculated similarly to the set operation:

P ( R B G ) = 1 = P ( R ) + P ( B ) + P ( G ) P ( R B ) P ( B G ) P ( G R ) + P ( R B G ) P(R \cup B \cup G) = 1 = P(R) + P(B) + P(G) - P(R \cap B) - P(B \cap G) - P(G \cap R) + P(R \cap B \cap G)

However, in a day, the hen only lays 2 2 eggs, so there is no way that there will be 3 3 colored eggs. Hence, P ( R B G ) = 0 P(R \cap B \cap G) = 0 .

Then we can substitute in the values of P ( R ) P(R) ; P ( B ) P(B) ; P ( G ) P(G) as given:

P ( R B G ) = 1 = 2 3 + 2 4 + 2 5 P ( R B ) P ( B G ) P ( G R ) P(R \cup B \cup G) = 1 = \dfrac{2}{3} + \dfrac{2}{4} + \dfrac{2}{5} - P(R \cap B) - P(B \cap G) - P(G \cap R)

Then P ( R B ) + P ( B G ) + P ( G R ) = 40 + 30 + 24 60 60 = 17 30 P(R \cap B) + P(B \cap G) + P(G \cap R) = \dfrac{40+30+24-60}{60} = \dfrac{17}{30} .

Since we know that the probability of each color combination is the reciprocal of some natural number, 17 30 = 1 a + 1 b + 1 c \dfrac{17}{30} = \dfrac{1}{a}+\dfrac{1}{b}+\dfrac{1}{c} for positive integers a , b , c a, b, c .

Thus, its applicable summation can be:

17 30 = 1 3 + 1 6 + 1 15 = 1 6 + 1 5 + 1 5 = 1 4 + 1 4 + 1 15 \dfrac{17}{30} = \dfrac{1}{3} + \dfrac{1}{6} + \dfrac{1}{15} = \dfrac{1}{6} + \dfrac{1}{5} + \dfrac{1}{5}\ = \dfrac{1}{4}+\dfrac{1}{4}+\dfrac{1}{15} .

However, only the first summation can result in probability of form 1 n \dfrac{1}{n} for three sole color outcomes. Therefore, 17 30 = 1 3 + 1 6 + 1 15 \dfrac{17}{30} = \dfrac{1}{3} + \dfrac{1}{6} + \dfrac{1}{15}

Now that we know the probabilities of the color combination, we just need to match it to the right combination. This is important as, for example, if we let P ( R B ) = 1 3 P(R \cap B) = \dfrac{1}{3} ; P ( B G ) = 1 6 P(B \cap G) = \dfrac{1}{6} ; P ( G R ) = 1 15 P(G \cap R) = \dfrac{1}{15} , then the probability of getting only blue eggs in a day = P ( B ) ( P ( B G ) P ( R B ) = 2 4 1 6 1 3 = 0 P(B) - (P(B \cap G) - P(R \cap B) = \dfrac{2}{4} - \dfrac{1}{6} - \dfrac{1}{3} = 0 , which is contradicted.

By orienting the values to the optimal point, we will obtain:

P ( R B ) = 1 3 P(R \cap B) = \dfrac{1}{3}

P ( B G ) = 1 15 P(B \cap G) = \dfrac{1}{15}

P ( G R ) = 1 6 P(G \cap R) = \dfrac{1}{6}

As a result, the probability of getting only blue eggs in a day = P ( B ) ( P ( B G ) P ( R B ) = 2 4 1 15 1 3 = 1 10 P(B) - (P(B \cap G) - P(R \cap B) = \dfrac{2}{4} - \dfrac{1}{15} - \dfrac{1}{3} = \dfrac{1}{10} .

Therefore, the mentioned x = 10 x = \boxed{10} .

Great problem to start off the New Year. Thanks for posting it. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 4 years, 5 months ago

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You're welcome. Happy New Year!

Worranat Pakornrat - 4 years, 5 months ago

Firstly, you missed 17 = 10 + 6 + 1 17 = 10 + 6 + 1 which gives 1 3 + 1 5 + 1 30 \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{5} + \frac{1}{30} .

Secondly, I disagree that 1 a + 1 b + 1 c = d e \frac{1}{a} + \frac{ 1}{b} + \frac{1}{c} = \frac{ d}{e} implies that e = l c m ( a , b , c ) e = lcm (a,b,c) . All that we have is e l c m ( a , b , c ) e \mid lcm (a,b,c) . For example, 17 30 = 1 2 + 1 16 + 1 240 = 1 4 + 1 4 + 1 15 \frac{17}{30} = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{ 1}{16} + \frac{1}{240} = \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{15} . (Of course, I haven't checked the sole color condition).

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 5 months ago

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N is less than 30 as stated in the question though.

Worranat Pakornrat - 4 years, 5 months ago

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Still, you missed a case of 1 4 + 1 4 + 1 15 \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{15} , which I've listed above.

I was pointing out the faulty reasoning of e = l c m ( a , b , c ) e = lcm(a, b, c) . It is possible to fix this gap, by accounting for the cases properly. Solving such Egyptian fraction questions often results in a bunch of case work. IE With 17 30 = 1 a + 1 b + 1 c \frac{17}{30} = \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} + \frac{1}{c} , and let a b c a \leq b \leq c , then test a = 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 a = 2, 3, 4, 5 .

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 5 months ago

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@Calvin Lin Ok. I'll fix the wording.

Worranat Pakornrat - 4 years, 5 months ago

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