equipped with a power device

[sanju09]

Two objects are placed on opposite corners of a cube. The objects are designed only to move along the edges of the cube and are equipped with a power device which allows them to do so at the same constant speed of S inches per minute. If both objects begin moving at the same time, each taking one of the shortest paths towards the initial position of the other, what is the probability that the two objects will collide?

Produce your own response, links

[dendude]

My guess is 1/36

Each object has 6 possible paths of traversal to the opposite corner i.e 2 along each of the 3 sides
Hence the probability that both take the same route is 1/36

[ven4gmat]

In order to go from one corner to the opposite corner along the sides there will be 6 routes. Hence the two objects can chooses their paths in 6x6=36 different ways. In order to collide, both of them should take the same path.

So probability = 1/36

[sureshbala]

Yes, i will got with 1/36. Explanation is already provided by our friends..

[bmlaud]

The movement is a three segment move, the first move from one corner can be in 3 ways, the second one in two ways.

Total ways 3*2*1 = 6 ways

same for the other object too so the probability of collision is 1/(6*6)=1/36