Distribute the balls
Find the number of distributions of five red balls and five blue balls into three distinct boxes,with no empty boxes.
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- Fm Jakaria
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Re: Distribute the balls
We denote by $S(n)$ to be the number of ways $5$ balls of same colour can be kept in $n$ boxes, with possibly some boxes empty. Now note that $S(n)^2$ is the number of ways five red and five blue balls can be kept in $n$ boxes in this way; considering disjoint events. So our desired result is $S(3)^2-(^3C_1)S(2)^2+(^3C_2)S(1)^2$, considering cases where at least $0,1$ boxes are empty, and considering overcouting arising from exacly two empty boxes; while deciding which boxes are empty. And computing S(n) is the same as counting ordered n-tuple of nonngegative integers $a_i$ that sum to $5$; and its exacly same as number of ways putting $n-1$ equivalent plus signs between and edges of n dots, where multiple pluses are allowed in a place. Considering cases of all multiplicity of pluses:
$S(3) = ^6C_2+^6C_1$, $S(2) = ^6C_1$, $S(1) = 1$.
$S(3) = ^6C_2+^6C_1$, $S(2) = ^6C_1$, $S(1) = 1$.
You cannot say if I fail to recite-
the umpteenth digit of PI,
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whether I may, drown in tub and die.
the umpteenth digit of PI,
Whether I'll live - or
whether I may, drown in tub and die.
Re: Distribute the balls
Nice solution.Thank youFm Jakaria wrote:We denote by $S(n)$ to be the number of ways $5$ balls of same colour can be kept in $n$ boxes, with possibly some boxes empty. Now note that $S(n)^2$ is the number of ways five red and five blue balls can be kept in $n$ boxes in this way; considering disjoint events. So our desired result is $S(3)^2-(^3C_1)S(2)^2+(^3C_2)S(1)^2$, considering cases where at least $0,1$ boxes are empty, and considering overcouting arising from exacly two empty boxes; while deciding which boxes are empty. And computing S(n) is the same as counting ordered n-tuple of nonngegative integers $a_i$ that sum to $5$; and its exacly same as number of ways putting $n-1$ equivalent plus signs between and edges of n dots, where multiple pluses are allowed in a place. Considering cases of all multiplicity of pluses:
$S(3) = ^6C_2+^6C_1$, $S(2) = ^6C_1$, $S(1) = 1$.
"Questions we can't answer are far better than answers we can't question"