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Competency in Focus: Concept of Probability

This problem from American Mathematics Contest 8 (AMC 8, 2018) is based on calculation of probability. It is Question number 11 of the AMC 8 2018 Problem series.

Next understand the problem

Abby, Bridget, and four of their classmates will be seated in two rows of three for a group picture, as shown. If the seating positions are assigned randomly, what is the probability that Abby and Bridget are adjacent to each other in the same row or the same column? $\textbf{(A) } \frac{1}{3} \qquad \textbf{(B) } \frac{2}{5} \qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac{7}{15} \qquad \textbf{(D) } \frac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(E) } \frac{2}{3}$

Basic Probability sum

6/10
Suggested Book
Challenges and Thrills in Pre College Mathematics Excursion Of Mathematics

Do you really need a hint? Try it first!
If you need any hint try from this: There are a total of $6!$ ways to arrange the kids.
Abby and Bridget can sit in 3 ways if they are adjacent in the same column: For each of these seat positions, Abby and Bridget can switch seats, and the other 4 people can be arranged in $4!$ ways which results in a total of $3 \times 2 \times 4!$ ways to arrange them.
By the same logic, there are 4 ways for Abby and Bridget to placed if they are adjacent in the same row, they can swap seats, and the other $4$ people can be arranged in $4!$ ways, for a total of $4 \times 2 \times 4!$ ways to arrange them.
We sum the 2 possibilities up to get $\frac{(3\cdot2)\cdot4!+(4\cdot2)\cdot4!}{6!} = \frac{14\cdot4!}{6!}=\boxed{\frac{7}{15}}$

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