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#1 Help Me ! » Combination Word Problem » 2009-10-05 12:28:32

CroatBoy
Replies: 1

A pencil case can hold seven pens and eight pencils. Meg chooses either a pen or pencil. Then John is to choose a pen and a pencil. In which case (based on Megs initial choice) would John have to have the greater number of choices.

Does this look right?

If Meg chooses pen:

7C1x6C1x8C1
=336

If Meg chooses pencil:
8C1x7C1x7C1
=392

Therefore, John will have more choices if Meg chooses a pencil.

#2 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 12:12:38

bobbym wrote:

Hi CroatBoy;

n! / (n -2)! = n * ( n-1) because

n!       = n * (n-1) * (n-2) * (n-3) * ... (1)

(n-2)! = (n-2) * (n-3) * ... (1)  So just cancel:

Ok. Thanks.

#3 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 12:05:20

bobbym wrote:

Hi;

Simplifcations are possible :

n! / ( n-2 ) ! = n ( n-1 )

n - (n - 2) = 2

So:

Why does it become 1?

#4 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:46:44

bobbym wrote:

Hi;

Did you understand how to get ( n ( n - 1) ) / 2 = 10 from:

I think so, but could you go over it?

#5 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:32:33

bobbym wrote:

Hi;

Expand it:

Times by 2:

And factor:

You can set both equal to 0, like this

Can you solve these 2 linear equations? Do you need help?

Thanks alot, makes sense now. Appreciate it!

#6 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:29:09

bobbym wrote:

Hi;

Expand it:

Times by 2:

And factor:

Sorry, that is foreign to me. I haven't solved questions like that in the course.

#7 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:25:36

simron wrote:

Here's another way:
Think of the formula for

:

Now rewrite
using that. You should be able to solve for n.
Tell me if you need any more help.

So it would be n!/(n-2)!(n- (n-1) )! = 10 ?

I'm not sure how to solve this.

#8 Re: Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:19:20

bobbym wrote:

Hi CroatBoy;

Solve (n (n-1)) / 2 = 10

You get n = 5 and n = - 4

But how do you get from (n)(n-1)/2 = 10 to 5 and -4. i know it needs to be factored, but im not sure what the steps are.

#9 Help Me ! » Combination Problem » 2009-10-05 11:11:11

CroatBoy
Replies: 15

Solve the equation for n algebraically.

(n)C(n-2) = 10

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