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BrainteasersJane StreetCitadel

Does a random triangle on a circle contain the centre?

Three points are chosen independently and uniformly at random on the circumference of a circle, and joined to form a triangle.

  1. What is the probability that the triangle contains the centre of the circle?
  2. Generalise: for n random points joined into a convex polygon, what is the probability the polygon contains the centre?
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The triangle misses the centre exactly when all three points lie in some semicircle. Generate each point in two steps: first pick a random diameter, then flip a coin to decide which end of it to use. Count the coin-flip outcomes that put all the points in a semicircle.

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