Partial Groupings

Find the number of non-negative integral solutions to the equation a + b + c + 4 d = 20 a+b+c+4d=20 .


The answer is 536.

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2 solutions

We can break this down into cases, looking separately at d = 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. d = 0,1,2,3,4,5.

For d = 0 d = 0 we then have a + b + c = 20 a + b + c = 20 with a , b , c a,b,c non-negative integers, which is a stars and bars calculation with ( 22 20 ) = 231 \dbinom{22}{20} = 231 solutions.

For d = 1 d = 1 we then have a + b + c = 16 , a + b + c = 16, which has ( 18 16 ) = 153 \dbinom{18}{16} = 153 solutions. Continuing with this process, we have in total

( 22 20 ) + ( 18 16 ) + ( 14 12 ) + ( 10 8 ) + ( 6 4 ) + ( 4 0 ) = \dbinom{22}{20} + \dbinom{18}{16} + \dbinom{14}{12} + \dbinom{10}{8} + \dbinom{6}{4} + \dbinom{4}{0} =

231 + 153 + 91 + 45 + 15 + 1 = 536 231 + 153 + 91 + 45 + 15 + 1 = \boxed{536} solutions.

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Brilliant Mathematics Staff - 5 years, 11 months ago
Nimit Jain
Jul 8, 2015

For d=0, a+b+c=20

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (20+3-1)C(3-1) = 22(C)2 = 22*21/2 = 231

For d=1, a+b+c = 16

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (16+3-1)C(3-1) = 18(C)2 = 18*17/2 = 153

For d=2, a+b+c = 12

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (12+3-1)C(3-1) = 14(C)2 = 14*13/2 = 91

For d=3, a+b+c = 8

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (8+3-1)C(3-1) = 10(C)2 = 10*9/2 = 45

For d=4, a+b+c = 4

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (4+3-1)C(3-1) = 6(C)2 = 6*5/2 = 15

For d=5, a+b+c = 0

therefore no. of ways in which the distribution can be done is (0+3-1)C(3-1) = 2(C)2 = 1

Therefore, total no. of ways = 231+153+91+45+15+1 = 536.......this is the answer.

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