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Solving Advanced Probability-Based Questions: Broken Stick Problem

The document discusses three probability problems involving continuous variables: 1) The broken stick problem, where the probability of forming a triangle from three randomly cut stick pieces is 1/4. 2) The minimum length problem, where the probability of two random points on a 2cm line segment being over 1cm apart is also 1/4. 3) A time-related problem where the probability two people meeting within a 15 minute window of their randomly chosen arrival times between 9:30am-10:30am is 7/16.

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41 views5 pages

Solving Advanced Probability-Based Questions: Broken Stick Problem

The document discusses three probability problems involving continuous variables: 1) The broken stick problem, where the probability of forming a triangle from three randomly cut stick pieces is 1/4. 2) The minimum length problem, where the probability of two random points on a 2cm line segment being over 1cm apart is also 1/4. 3) A time-related problem where the probability two people meeting within a 15 minute window of their randomly chosen arrival times between 9:30am-10:30am is 7/16.

Uploaded by

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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Solving Advanced Probability-Based Questions

Let us look at some of the classic problems on probability with continuous variables and how to
solve them.

Broken Stick Problem

If you break a stick randomly in two places, what is the probability that you can form a
triangle from the three pieces?

To solve this, let us consider the length of the stick as 1 and the two points that it is broken at as
‘x’ and ‘y’ where x < y.

So, the length of the three parts will be x, y – x and 1 – y

Let us represent this on a graph

The point P, which gives us the exact points at which the stick was broken will lie inside a square
of side 1.

For the three parts to form a triangle, they should satisfy the triangle criteria that the sum of two
sides is greater than the third side.
x + (y – x) > (1 – y)

=> y > ½

x + (1 – y) > (y – x)

=> 2y – 2x < 1

=> y – x < ½

(y – x) + (1 – y) > x

=> x < ½

If we apply these conditions on the graph we will get,

To meet the criteria, P(x,y) has to lie in the triangle shown above.

The probability of that happening = Area of the triangle / total area = 1/8

The exact same pattern will be repeated when x > y, and we will get the probability again as 1/8
in that case.

Required probability = 1/8 + 1/8 = ¼


Minimum Length Problem

Two points A and B are selected at random on a segment of length 2 cm. What is the
probability that the length of the line AB > 1 ?

Apply the exact same idea as discussed in the broken stick problem. Our basic graph would look
like:

As you can seem the blue line is used to indicate that A = B.

We want the probability that the distance between A and B is greater than 1

=> The distance from the line A = B should be at least one unit

Using this restriction, we would get the graph as


So, our point P can lie in the either the triangle on the top-left or in the triangle on the bottom
right.

Required probability = Sum of the areas of the triangle / Total area

= (0.5 + 0.5)/4 = ¼

Time Related Problem

Two ISB alumni decide to meet at Café Linger On between 9:30 am and 10:30 am. They agree
that the person who arrives first at the cafe would wait for exactly 15 minutes for the other. If
each of them arrives at a random time between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM . What is the
probability that the meeting takes place?

This can be solved exactly with the same concept of ‘Minimum Length Problem’.

The time period in which they can arrive is 1 hour and they have to be within 15 minutes of each
other or 0.25 units of each other.

=> The distance from the line A = B should be less than 0.25 units

Required probability = 1 – Unfavorable probability

= 1 – (Sum of the areas of the two triangles / Total Area)

= 1 – 2*(½*¾*¾) = 7/16

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