CAT | By Ashank Dubey (CAT 100%iler)

Permutation & Combination

Distribution

All distribution questions in Permutation and Combination fall into four categories:

(a) Similar to Different (Distribution of identical objects into Distinct groups)

(b) Different to Similar (Distribution of Distinct objects into identical groups)
(c) Similar to Similar (Distribution of identical objects into identical groups)
(d) Different to Different (Distribution of Distinct objects into Distinct groups)

SIMILAR TO DIFFERENT DISTRIBUTION

We will look at the first category; i.e. Similar to Different, which entails the number of ways of distributing n
identical (similar) things into r distinct (different) groups

(a) NO LIMIT QUESTIONS

Lets start with a simple Example,

Example: In how many was can we distribute 10 identical balls into 3 different boxes (where any box can
hold any number of balls)?

Explanation: Lets represent balls by blue color. The straight red lines are used to divide them into parts. So
we can see that for dividing balls into 3 parts, we need only two lines.

Suppose we want to give 1 ball to 1st person, 3 balls to 2nd person and 6 balls to 3rd person. Then, you can
represent it as:

Suppose we want to give 1 ball to first person, 6 balls to another person and 3 balls to another one, and
then it can be represented as:

Now if first person gets 0, second one gets 1 and third one gets 9 balls then it can be represented as:

Now suppose we want to give 0 balls to first person, 0 to second one also and third one gets all of 10 balls
then we can represent it like:
CAT | By Ashank Dubey (CAT 100%iler)

Thus the original problem is equivalent to arrange 10 identical balls and 2 identical sticks. So, number of
ways to distribute 10 identical balls among 3 persons is same in which, we can arrange 12 items out of
12 !
which 10 are identical of one kind while 2 are identical of an other kind, Which can be done in ( )=
10! 2!
12
C2 = 66 ways.

Note: The above situation is same as finding the number of whole number solutions of a + b + c = 10.

Or

How many integral points lie on the line a + b + c = 10 in the 1st quadrant. In both the cases the answer is 66.

Example: Six men went for fishing and returned with total number of 15 fish. In how many ways could
they have caught these fish, given that each man may catch any number of fish?

Explanation: The given problem is equivalent to arrange 15 identical balls and 5 identical sticks (6 men
20 !
implies 5 partitions). The required answer is ( ) = 20C5
15! 5!

(b) LOWER LIMIT QUESTIONS

While distributing identical objects into distinct groups, what if there is an additional condition that no
group can be empty i.e. every box will contain at least 1 ball.

Example: In how many ways can we distribute 10 identical balls into 3 different boxes if each box contains
at least 1 ball?

Explanation: Now, in the beginning only put one ball into each box and this can be done only in 1 way (all
balls are identical). Now, we left with 7 balls and we have to divide them into 3 parts.

The given problem is equivalent to arrange 7 identical balls and 2 identical sticks (3 boxes implies 2
9!
partitions). The required answer is ( ) = 9C2 = 36 ways
7! 2!

Note: The above situation is same as finding the number of positive integral solutions of a + b + c = 10.

Or

How many integral natural points lie on the line a + b + c = 10 in the 1 st quadrant. In both the cases the
answer is 9C2.

Example: Six men went for fishing and returned with total number of 15 fish. In how many ways could
they have caught these fish, given that each man caught at least one fish?

Explanation: In the beginning only give one fish to each person and this can be done only in 1 way (all fish
are identical). Now, we left with 9 fish and we have to divide them into 6 parts. The required answer is
14!
( ) = 14C5
9! 5!

Example: How many ways 10 identical chocolates can be distributed to Anil, Bipin and chirag such
that Anil gets at least 1, Bipin gets at least 2 and Chirag gets at least 3?

Explanation: Give 1 chocolate to Anil, 2 chocolates to Bipin and 3 chocolates to Chirag and then divide
the left 4 (10 1 2 3) chocolates among 3 persons in such a way that each person can get any number of
chocolates. This is same as arranging 4 balls and 2 sticks, which can be done in 6C2 ways.
CAT | By Ashank Dubey (CAT 100%iler)

Instances

1. Salman went to the market to buy 18 fruits in all. If there were mangoes, bananas, apples and oranges
for sale then in how many ways could Salman buy at least one fruit of each kind?
(a) 17C3 (b) 18C4 (c) 21C3 (d) 21C4
Solution: The given question falls into the category similar to different with lower limit.
M + B + A + O = 18

Remove one from each group, therefore 4 is subtracted from both sides. The problem changes to

M + B + A + O = 14

Now, The required answer is the arrangement of 14 balls and 3 sticks = 17C3

2. There are four balls to be put in five boxes where each box can accommodate any number of balls. In
how many ways can one do this if Balls are similar and boxes are different
(a) 275 (b) 70 (c) 120 (d) 19
Solution: The given question falls into the category similar to different with lower limit.
A + B + C + D + E = 4, where A, B, C, D, E are the different boxes.
The number of ways of selection and distribution= 8C4 = 70

(C) Distribution of some or all objects into distinct groups

1. The number of non-negative integral solutions of A + B + C 10

(a) 84 (b) 286 (c) 220 (d) none of these
Solution: By non-negative integral solutions, the conditions imply that we can have 0 and natural number
values for A, B, C, and D
To remove the sign add another dummy variable D. The problem changes to
A + B + C + D = 10
This is an example of grouping type1 (Similar to Distinct)
It is the arrangement of 10 balls and 3 sticks.
Using the shortcut of balls and sticks, Therefore the answer is 13C3 = 286

2. The king of Mysure has several white elephants. On the of his victory, he declares that he plans to
distribute up to 20 of his elephants to his 6 favorite ministers as a reward for their mettle in battle. In
how many ways could he do this?
Solution: The king could give anything from 0 to 20 elephant among the 6 ministers. Now, we have to
distribute 20 elephants among 7 people (The 7th one is a dummy minister in this case, as he would retain
the remaining elephants).

A + B + C + D + E + F + G = 20

The number of possible ways is 26C6 ways.

(d) UPPER LIMIT QUESTIONS

1. How many two digit numbers exist the sum of whose digits is 13?
(a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 10
Explanation: Let the two-digit number be AB. So A + B = 13 with the condition that neither A nor B can
exceed 9.

First let us calculate the cases without any condition; A + B = 13 has 14C1 = 14 solutions. Now, introduce
another number A such that A = A 10. As we know, A + B = 13 implies A + B = 3 (Here A >= 0 need to be
eliminated, as A cannot be greater than equal 10). Similarly, taking B = B 10 means we have to eliminate
the solutions of A + B = 3. Each of these yields 4 solutions. The required answer is 14 4 4 = 6 solutions.
CAT | By Ashank Dubey (CAT 100%iler)

Five men went fishing and returned with a total of 12 fish. In how many ways could they have caught these
fish, given that no man caught more than 7 fish?

Explanation: 16C4 5 x {8C4} = 1470 ways.

2. In how many ways can a person score a total of 130 marks in an exam consisting of 3 sections of 50
marks each?
(a) 231 (b) 198 (c) 194 (d) None of these
Explanation: Since he loses a total of only 20 marks, an easier way would be to distribute those 20 marks
among the 3 sections which can be done, without need of limits, in 22C2 = 231 ways.

3. Find the number of non - negative integral solutions for the equation 2x + 5y + 10z = 210
(a) 210 (b) 253 (c) 231 (d) None of these
Explanation: 2x + 5y + 10z = 210, where x should multiple of 5 and y should multiple of 2. So, we can take x
and y, 5P and 2Q respectively.
Now the equation is:
10P + 10Q + 10Z = 210;
P + Q + Z = 21
Where P, Q and Z are non-negative integers. Number o f solutions of the given equation is 23C2 = 253.

4. If x, y and z are whole numbers such that x > y, then how many solutions are possible for the equation x
+ y + z = 36?
(a) 703 (b) 684 (c) 342 (d) 361
Explanation: The total number of solution for x + y + z = 36, If x, y and z are whole numbers is given by 38C2
= 703.
The number of solutions where x = y will be 19 {from (x, y) = (0, 0) to (8, 8)}
The number of solutions where x is not equal to y = 703 19 = 684.
Among these 684 solutions, half will have x > y and rest will have y > x.
Hence, total number of solutions where x > y
684
= 342. Option (c).
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