Ant Amelia starts on the number line at $0$ and crawls in the following manner. For $n=1,2,3,$ Amelia chooses a time duration $t_n$ and an increment $x_n$ independently and uniformly at random from the interval $(0,1).$ During the $n$th step of the process, Amelia moves $x_n$ units in the positive direction, using up $t_n$ minutes. If the total elapsed time has exceeded $1$ minute during the $n$th step, she stops at the end of that step; otherwise, she continues with the next step, taking at most $3$ steps in all. What is the probability that Amelia’s position when she stops will be greater than $1$?
$\textbf{(A) }\frac{1}{3} \qquad \textbf{(B) }\frac{1}{2} \qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac{2}{3} \qquad \textbf{(D) }\frac{3}{4} \qquad \textbf{(E) }\frac{5}{6}$
Let $x$ and $y$ be random variables that are independently and uniformly distributed in the interval $(0,1).$ Note that \[P(x+y\leq 1)=\frac{\frac12\cdot1^2}{1^2}=\frac12,\] as shown below:

Let $x,y,$ and $z$ be random variables that are independently and uniformly distributed in the interval $(0,1).$ Note that \[P(x+y+z\leq 1)=\frac{\frac13\cdot\left(\frac12\cdot1^2\right)\cdot1}{1^3}=\frac16,\] as shown below:

We have two cases:


Amelia takes exactly $2$ steps.
We need $x_1+x_2>1$ and $t_1+t_2>1.$ So, the probability is \[P(x_1+x_2>1)\cdot P(t_1+t_2>1)=\left(1-\frac12\right)\cdot\left(1-\frac12\right)=\frac14.\]

Amelia takes exactly $3$ steps.
We need $x_1+x_2+x_3>1$ and $t_1+t_2\leq1.$ So, the probability is \[P(x_1+x_2+x_3>1)\cdot P(t_1+t_2\leq1)=\left(1-\frac16\right)\cdot\frac12=\frac{5}{12}.\]


Together, the answer is $\frac14 + \frac{5}{12} = \boxed{\textbf{(C) }\frac{2}{3}}.$
~Steven Chen (Professor Chen Education Palace, www.professorchenedu.com)
~MRENTHUSIASM