Math Is Fun Forum

znsprdx

Guest

BINGS - oh?

Regarding the total number of possible BINGO cards, having no value repeated....

Clearly for columns B,I,G,& O 5 numbers in random order out of 15 possible may be selected i.e.3003 each
For column 'N' since only 4 values are chosen, then = 1365  However perhaps not choosing a central value is a choice?

Now are the results for each column added or multiplied by each other?
If values are allowed to repeat but not ever in the same position: how does one proceed in order to determine the total number of possible cards?

Intuitively I sense that I'm dealing with an anomaly wherein combinations are involved where order does in fact matter
I've done some research and found both absurd and incongruous answers...am I at least correct in concluding the solution(s) are far from obvious?

Thank-you in advance for your consideration

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: BINGS - oh?

Hi znsprdx;

I've done some research and found both absurd and incongruous answers...am I at least correct in concluding the solution(s) are far from obvious?

Welcome to the forum. I could be missing a lot here but I do not think there is anything anomalous about this calculation at all.

This is how I would do it.

Number of cards:

You will often see it quoted as 552,446,474,061,129,000,000,000,000 cards which is a rounded off answer.

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