Different box and different ball

Probability Level pending

Five ball of different colors are placed in a three different box. Each can hold all the five ball. In how many different ways can we place the balls so that no box remains empty?

243 300 60 150

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1 solution

There are two possible configurations, assuming that the boxes are all the same. They are: (1) 1, 1, 3 and (2) 1, 2, 2. When taking into the account that the boxes are different, we will have the multiply by 3 for each of the configurations in the end (since 3 ! 2 ! = 3 \frac{3!}{2!}=3 ).

Now for the first configuration, the number of ways is ( 5 3 ) ( choose 3 out of 5 balls for the box with 3 balls ) × 2 ( arrangements for the remaining 2 balls ) × 3 ( multiplier ) \left(\begin{array}{c}5\\ 3\end{array}\right)(\text{choose 3 out of 5 balls for the box with 3 balls})\times2(\text{arrangements for the remaining 2 balls})\times3(\text{multiplier})

For the second configuration, the number of ways is ( 5 2 ) ( choose 2 out of 5 balls for one of the boxes with 2 balls ) × ( 3 2 ) ( arrangements for the remaining 3 balls ) × 3 ( multiplier ) \left(\begin{array}{c}5\\ 2\end{array}\right)(\text{choose 2 out of 5 balls for one of the boxes with 2 balls})\times\left(\begin{array}{c}3\\ 2\end{array}\right)(\text{arrangements for the remaining 3 balls})\times3(\text{multiplier})

Hence the answer is 150.

Since the boxes are different the answer should be 300 on my opinion!

Andreas Wendler - 5 years ago

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Why is that so?

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Because for each distribution we have 3! different constellations of the (different) boxes!

Andreas Wendler - 5 years ago

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@Andreas Wendler For each distribution you would have 3 ! 2 ! \frac{3!}{2!} distributions, since you have to take note that there are 2 boxes with the same number of balls.

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@A Former Brilliant Member Please note that the boxes are distinguishable!

Andreas Wendler - 5 years ago

The number of permutations is 480 and the number of combinations is 240

arindaam mandal - 4 years, 10 months ago

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I beg your pardon...No of permutations is 720

arindaam mandal - 4 years, 10 months ago

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