Combinatorics

This topic has expert replies
Source: — Problem Solving |

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:43 pm
Location: Hyderabad
Thanked: 2 times

rep

by naaga » Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:51 am
Mr 4meonly,
i don't know the formula to this problem, but I followed counting from the root level .

assume that,

n = -16, m = -15 ---- 1 possible
n = -16, m = -14------2 "
n = -16, m = -13------3 "
n = -16, m = -12------4 "

" " " " " " " " "
n = -16, m = 10------26 possible

sum all the values ;

n ( n+1 ) / 2 = 26* 27 /2 =13 * 27 = 351,

Hence the answer is B

correct me if I am wrong, thankyou

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 7:10 pm
Thanked: 10 times
GMAT Score:600

by dendude » Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:21 am
I did not follow through completely
What about for other values of N?
N=-15,-14........9

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:32 am
Location: Delhi
Thanked: 84 times
Followed by:9 members

by sureshbala » Sat Feb 21, 2009 8:47 am
dendude wrote:I did not follow through completely
What about for other values of N?
N=-15,-14........9
Totally there are 27 numbers from -16 to 10

Now in n = -16, m could be any number from -15 to 10 i.e m will have 26 possible values

If n = -15, m could be any number from -14 to 10 i.e m will have 25 possible values

Similarly if n = -14, m can take 24 values

Thinking along the same lines if n = 9, m can take only 1 value.

Hence total number of possible ways = 1+2+.....+26 = 26X27/2 = 351

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:32 am
Thanked: 16 times

Re: Combinatorics

by x2suresh » Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:51 pm
4meonly wrote:OA B
You need select m and N from 27 numbers.

Solution 1:
here order does matter:

No of ways selecting any two numbers = 27*26

In these combinations half of the time M >N and half of the time N>M

Ans = 27*26/2 = 351

Solution 2:

Select any two numbers from 27 list (order doesn't matter)
assume that greater number is m and other one is n
= 27C2
= 351

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:27 pm
Thanked: 23 times
Followed by:1 members

by awesomeusername » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:32 pm
As noted above
Attachments
eq.latex.gif
Constant dripping hollows out a stone.
-Lucretius