MedVision ad

HSC 2013 MX2 Marathon (archive) (1 Viewer)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Carrotsticks

Retired
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
9,494
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The larger of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Show that the probability that the three sticks form a triangle is 3ln(2) - 2.

God damn it Sy123, your dp confuses me (but my Santa hat > your top hat).
 

Sy123

This too shall pass
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
3,730
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

There you go Sy123

Well for i, I managed to simply brute force my way through it by:



Then just doing loads of algebra eventually yielding me the answer. However if this is the only way to do this question (by letting z=x+iy), then I will be a bit disappointed heh. So is there a good/clever way to do this?

I will try the geometric means later.

But as for part b. As k approaches l, the circle will become the perpendicular bisector of z_1 and z_2.
 

Sy123

This too shall pass
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
3,730
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The larger of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Show that the probability that the three sticks form a triangle is 3ln(2) - 2.

God damn it Sy123, your dp confuses me (but my Santa hat > your top hat).
Can the sticks cross over each other, or must the sticks make a perfect triangle without any extra bits sticking out?

(Also my slowpoke is more classy (and manly)) than yours :s)
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The larger of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Show that the probability that the three sticks form a triangle is 3ln(2) - 2.

God damn it Sy123, your dp confuses me (but my Santa hat > your top hat).
Nice question, I'm giving it a go and have an idea what to do, but let me make a variation question:

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The smaller of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Find the probability that the sticks form a triangle.
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

By Triangle Inequality yes?
Yes. It's how you do carrot's question I think. Basically what's the probability that the sum of the two shorter sides cut is larger than the longest side.
 

Sy123

This too shall pass
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
3,730
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

Yes. It's how you do carrot's question I think. Basically what's the probability that the sum of the two shorter sides cut is larger than the longest side.
That is what I originally thought, however I was not able to do much with the 3 inequalities that I had and no numbers.
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

That is what I originally thought, however I was not able to do much with the 3 inequalities that I had and no numbers.
Same, I got stuck doing it that way. I'll try it again tomorrow if no one has got it by then, I really need to get back to my chemistry assignment lol.
 

Fus Ro Dah

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
248
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

That is what I originally thought, however I was not able to do much with the 3 inequalities that I had and no numbers.
Same, I got stuck doing it that way. I'll try it again tomorrow if no one has got it by then, I really need to get back to my chemistry assignment lol.
A clue: We simplify the problem by considering the triangle OAB, where O is the origin and A and B are the x and y intercepts, respectively, of the line x+y=k. The set of all possible trisections into triangles exists in triangle OAB. Generally, questions such as these are done using geometric probability, which usually involves finding the area between a curve and a line or possibly the ratio between the area of a shape that lies entirely within another area representing the total set.
 
Last edited:

jyu

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
623
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

3ln2-2 is small. One would think the prob is higher.
 

Trebla

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
8,390
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

Damn these Slowpokes everywhere...
 

seanieg89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
2,662
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The larger of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Show that the probability that the three sticks form a triangle is 3ln(2) - 2.

God damn it Sy123, your dp confuses me (but my Santa hat > your top hat).
Hmmm...I got 2*log(2)-1. Are you sure your answer is correct?
 

Sy123

This too shall pass
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
3,730
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon






Who needs integration by parts when you have this :s
 
Last edited:

cutemouse

Account Closed
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
2,250
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

Well for i, I managed to simply brute force my way through it by:



Then just doing loads of algebra eventually yielding me the answer. However if this is the only way to do this question (by letting z=x+iy), then I will be a bit disappointed heh. So is there a good/clever way to do this?
Maybe you can use the fact that |z|^2 = z zbar...
 

jyu

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
623
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

3ln2-2 is correct. I worked it out just then.
What you have worked out is not the answer to the question. Your answer is for forming a right angled triangle. Now I see why the probability is so low.
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Re: HSC 2013 4U Marathon

A stick of some length L is split into two smaller sticks (not necessarily equal). The larger of these two are split into two more sticks at some arbitrary point. As a result, there are three sticks in total.

Show that the probability that the three sticks form a triangle is 3ln(2) - 2.

God damn it Sy123, your dp confuses me (but my Santa hat > your top hat).
3ln2-2 is correct. I worked it out just then.
Hmmm...I got 2*log(2)-1. Are you sure your answer is correct?
What you have worked out is not the answer to the question. Your answer is for forming a right angled triangle. Now I see why the probability is so low.
This is going to be good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top