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JEE Main 20264 AprilEvening Shift
Exam
JEE Main
Year
2026
Date
4 April
Shift
Evening Shift
Subject
Mathematics
Chapter
Probability

JEE Main 2026 · 4 April · Evening Shift · Mathematics · Probability

From a month of 31 days, 3 different dates are selected at random....

From a month of 3131 days, 33 different dates are selected at random. If the probability that these dates are in an increasing A.P. is equal to ab\dfrac{a}{b}, where a,b∈Na,b \in \mathbb{N} and gcd⁡(a,b)=1\gcd(a,b)=1, then a+ba+b is equal to ______

Correct answer

0

Step-by-step solution

The total number of ways to select 33 different dates from a month of 3131 days is given by choosing 33 days out of 3131:

31C3=31×30×293×2×1=4495^{31}C_{3} = \dfrac{31 \times 30 \times 29}{3 \times 2 \times 1} = 4495

Let the three selected dates be x,y,zx, y, z such that x<y<zx < y < z. For these dates to form an increasing Arithmetic Progression (A.P.), they must satisfy the condition:

2y=x+z2y = x + z

For yy to be an integer, the sum x+zx + z must be an even number. This is only possible if both xx and zz are either odd or even. Once xx and zz are chosen, yy is uniquely determined as their exact average.

In a month of 3131 days, the number of odd dates (1,3,5,…,311, 3, 5, \dots, 31) is 1616, and the number of even dates (2,4,6,…,302, 4, 6, \dots, 30) is 1515.

The number of ways to choose xx and zz such that both are odd is:

16C2=16×152=120^{16}C_{2} = \dfrac{16 \times 15}{2} = 120

The number of ways to choose xx and zz such that both are even is:

15C2=15×142=105^{15}C_{2} = \dfrac{15 \times 14}{2} = 105

The total number of favorable selections that form an increasing A.P. is:

120+105=225120 + 105 = 225

The probability that the selected dates are in an increasing A.P. is:

P=2254495P = \dfrac{225}{4495}

Dividing the numerator and the denominator by 55, we get:

P=45899P = \dfrac{45}{899}

Since 45=32×545 = 3^2 \times 5 and 899=29×31899 = 29 \times 31, they share no common factors, meaning gcd⁡(45,899)=1\gcd(45, 899) = 1.

Thus, a=45a = 45 and b=899b = 899.

Finally, a+b=45+899=944a + b = 45 + 899 = 944.

Answer: 944944
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