A sum above one, a product below 3/16
and are independent and uniform on . Find
Fractions, decimals with at least 3 significant digits, and expressions such as sqrt(2)/2, e^-1 or pi/4.
Draw the unit square, the line and the hyperbola . Where do they meet?
The line and the hyperbola meet at and . Between those values, the line is above the hyperbola.
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s Shown after a correct answer. Revealing it first marks the problem as seen, not solved.
Idea. The probability is the area of the region above the line and below the hyperbola , inside the square. The two curves cross at and , so the region is two thin pieces near the corners and .
Step 1: the crossings. gives , so or . For the hyperbola is below the line and there is no region.
Step 2: the piece near . For the hyperbola is above the top of the square, so runs from to 1: area . For , runs from to :
Step 3: the piece near . For :
Step 4: add up.
A check. Swapping and maps one piece onto the other, and indeed both pieces have area .