Combinatorics - no signs next to eachother

This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:10 pm

Combinatorics - no signs next to eachother

by tgf » Sat Nov 14, 2009 11:02 am
Hi, I don't understand the solution approach for this problem:

In how many ways can 11# signs and 8* signs be arranged in a row so that no two * signs come together

Answer = [spoiler]12C4=495[/spoiler]

After searching several sites this is the only explanation offered:

Arrange the 11 # signs. Now we have 12 slots (10 slots between # signs and 2 on the extremes). Given that the # signs as well as the * signs are identical, we have 12C8 arrangements.


It's clear that finding the number of ways there are two spaces between every # sign is logicial, because when you assign the 8 * signs to this number you have the solution.

What i don't get is HOW you find the number of ways there are two spaces between every #. From where does the number 10 and 2 in the solution proposal come frome? Please give a thourough explanation.

Thanks
Source: — Problem Solving |

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3225
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:40 pm
Location: Toronto
Thanked: 1710 times
Followed by:614 members
GMAT Score:800
tgf wrote:Hi, I don't understand the solution approach for this problem:

In how many ways can 11# signs and 8* signs be arranged in a row so that no two * signs come together

Answer = [spoiler]12C4=495[/spoiler]

After searching several sites this is the only explanation offered:

Arrange the 11 # signs. Now we have 12 slots (10 slots between # signs and 2 on the extremes). Given that the # signs as well as the * signs are identical, we have 12C8 arrangements.


It's clear that finding the number of ways there are two spaces between every # sign is logicial, because when you assign the 8 * signs to this number you have the solution.

What i don't get is HOW you find the number of ways there are two spaces between every #. From where does the number 10 and 2 in the solution proposal come frome? Please give a thourough explanation.

Thanks
Simply draw it out:

_#_#_#_#_#_#_#_#_#_#_#_

We can put an asterisk before the first number sign (1 slot), between two successive number signs (11 number signs, so 10 slots between successive #s) or after the last number sign (1 slot), for a total of 12 possible slots.
Image

Stuart Kovinsky | Kaplan GMAT Faculty | Toronto

Kaplan Exclusive: The Official Test Day Experience | Ready to Take a Free Practice Test? | Kaplan/Beat the GMAT Member Discount
BTG100 for $100 off a full course

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:10 pm

Thanks

by tgf » Sat Nov 14, 2009 11:26 am
Wow, I completely failed in my approach.

I kept obsessing on there being 19 total spaces and that the 11 # had only 19 places to be. Thanks for the revelation.