Triangles on a plane

9 points are on a plane such that 5 of them lie on a straight line (No other set of three or more points are collinear). How many different non-degenerate triangles can be formed from these points?


The answer is 74.

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2 solutions

Rishabh Jain
Jun 30, 2016

The triangle can be formed by choosing 3 3 points out of 9 9 points but since 5 5 points are collinear choosing three points from them would simply result in a straight line( and not triangle). Thus ways:

( 9 3 ) ( 5 3 ) = 84 10 = 74 \dbinom 93-\dbinom 53=84-10=\boxed{74}

@Sharky Kesa, What would happen if the other 4 no underlying points in the line passing through the 5 points were aligned, or 3 of them were in another line? I then think the answer would be 70 or 73. I think you should add on an assumption...

Guillermo Templado - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Maybe an assumption stating 'no other group of 3 points lie on a straight line' would suffice.

Rishabh Jain - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Yes,that is... you got it...;)

Guillermo Templado - 4 years, 11 months ago

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@Guillermo Templado Maybe you can file a report !

Rishabh Jain - 4 years, 11 months ago

@Guillermo Templado On a straight line. These all lie on same this means.

Prince Loomba - 4 years, 9 months ago

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@Prince Loomba I mean (sorry I repeat) the other 4 points.

Guillermo Templado - 4 years, 9 months ago

No, I didn't fail the question... But it's necessary to write this assumption... Oh, with these changes on Brilliant I get confussed,I don't know where I wrote this post

Guillermo Templado - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Yep :) You intended to write it as a reply to my comment but finally ended up writing it as a seperate comment... :P

Rishabh Jain - 4 years, 11 months ago

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Yes, I'm a dissaster,haha :)

Guillermo Templado - 4 years, 11 months ago
Prince Loomba
Aug 21, 2016

Other way to think...

Consider 0 points taken from collinear, 3 from non collinear , no. Of ways=4C3=4

Consider 1 point taken from collinear, 2 from non collinear,no. Of ways=5C1×4C2=5×6=30

Consider 2 points then from collinear,1 from non collinear, no of ways=5C2×4C1=10×4=40

Total ways =74

No other ways possible because taking 3 from collinear will become a degenerated triangle

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