Harder X1 Counting:

Questions

Lead in

1.

Find two ways to count the number of ways that n people can be divided into two distinct
groups with at least one person in each group and hence show that
n
C0 nC1 nC2 ... nCn 2n

2.

Five diners in a restaurant choose randomly from a menu featuring five main courses.
Find the probability that exactly one of the main courses is not chosen by any of the diners.

3.

How many ways are there to re-arrange the letters of the word
ENTERTAINMENT
keeping the Es separate?

4.

How many integer solutions are there to x1 + x2 + x3 + x4 = 10, if xi > 0, i = 1, 2, 3, 4

5.

2012 HSC
(i)
In how many ways can m identical yellow discs and n identical black discs be
arranged in a row?
(ii)

In how many ways can 10 identical coins be allocated to 4 different boxes?

6.

How many integer solutions are there to x1 + x2 + x3 + x4 = 10, if xi 0, i = 1, 2, 3, 4

7.

(i)

How many ways can games of doubles matches can be formed from 8 players?

(ii)

In how many ways can two games of doubles tennis be arranged,

given a group of 8 players?

Some HSC X2 Counting Problems

2005
Mary and Ferdinand are competing against each other in a competition in which the winner is the
first to score five goals. The outcome is recorded by listing, in order, the initial of the person who
scores each goal. For example, one possible outcome would be recorded as MFFMMFMM.
(i)

Explain why there are five different ways in which the outcome could be recorded if
Ferdinand scores only one goal in the competition.

(ii)

In how many different ways could the outcome of this competition be recorded?

2004
(i)
In how many ways can n students be placed in two distinct rooms so that neither room is
empty?
(ii)

In how many ways can five students be placed in three distinct rooms so that no room is
empty?

2003
A hall has n doors. Suppose that n people each choose any door at random to enter the hall.
(i)
In how many ways can this be done?
(ii)

What is the probability that at least one door will not be chosen any of the people?

1982
Eight players enter a knockout singles tennis tournament, in which each of the four first round
winners plays one second round game to decide who enters the final.
Assuming that all players are equally likely to win a game, show that the probability that two
1

particular players play each other in the tournament is 4 .

Also show that if sixteen persons enter the tournament, then the probability that the two players
1

meet is 8 .
n
Prove that for a similar knock-out tournament for 2 players, the probability that two players meet
1 n
is 2