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Difference between revisions of "2020 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 10"

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We can also solve this problem directly by looking at the number of ways that we can place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> such that they are not directly next to each other. Observe that there are three ways to place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> (in that order) into the four slots so they are not next to each other (i.e. <math>S\square T\square, \square S\square T, S\square\square T</math>). However, we could also have placed <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> in the opposite order (i.e. <math>T\square S\square, \square T\square S, T\square\square S</math>). Thus there are 6 ways of placing <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> so that they are not next to each other. Next, notice that for each of these placements, we have two open slots for placing <math>A</math> and <math>B</math>. Specifically, we can place <math>A</math> in the first open slot and <math>B</math> in the second open slot or switch their order and place <math>B</math> in the first open slot and <math>A</math> in the second open slot. This gives us a total of <math>6\times 2=12</math> ways to place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> such that they are not next to each other <math>\implies\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>.<br>
 
We can also solve this problem directly by looking at the number of ways that we can place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> such that they are not directly next to each other. Observe that there are three ways to place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> (in that order) into the four slots so they are not next to each other (i.e. <math>S\square T\square, \square S\square T, S\square\square T</math>). However, we could also have placed <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> in the opposite order (i.e. <math>T\square S\square, \square T\square S, T\square\square S</math>). Thus there are 6 ways of placing <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> so that they are not next to each other. Next, notice that for each of these placements, we have two open slots for placing <math>A</math> and <math>B</math>. Specifically, we can place <math>A</math> in the first open slot and <math>B</math> in the second open slot or switch their order and place <math>B</math> in the first open slot and <math>A</math> in the second open slot. This gives us a total of <math>6\times 2=12</math> ways to place <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> such that they are not next to each other <math>\implies\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>.<br>
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~[http://artofproblemsolving.com/community/user/jmansuri junaidmansuri]  
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~[{{SERVER}}/community/user/jmansuri junaidmansuri]
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Anna: DO YOU WANNA BUILD A SNOWMAN? OR RIDE A BIKE AROUND THE HALLS? I NEVER SEE YOU ANYWHERE… (more yapping) (something about her dead mommy and daddy) (even more yaping)
 
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Elsa: IM LONELY. (Does not hear yapping sister at all.)
 
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Moral of the story: WOMP WOMP TO THE WOMPERS WHO WOMP WOMP THEIR WOMPING LIVESSSS
 
  
 
==Solution 2==
 
==Solution 2==
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==Solution 3==
 
==Solution 3==
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We use complementary counting: we will count the numbers of ways where Steelie and Tiger are together and subtract that from the total count. Treat the Steelie and the Tiger as a "super marble." There are <math>2!</math> ways to arrange Steelie and Tiger within this "super marble." Then there are <math>3!</math> ways to arrange the "super marble" and Zara's two other marbles in a row. Since there are <math>4!</math> ways to arrange the marbles without any restrictions, the answer is given by <math>4!-2!\cdot 3!=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>
 
We use complementary counting: we will count the numbers of ways where Steelie and Tiger are together and subtract that from the total count. Treat the Steelie and the Tiger as a "super marble." There are <math>2!</math> ways to arrange Steelie and Tiger within this "super marble." Then there are <math>3!</math> ways to arrange the "super marble" and Zara's two other marbles in a row. Since there are <math>4!</math> ways to arrange the marbles without any restrictions, the answer is given by <math>4!-2!\cdot 3!=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>
  
 
-franzliszt
 
-franzliszt
  
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==Solution 4(proof of Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem used in solution 1)==
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==Solution 4==
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By the [[Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem]], our answer is <math>\frac{(4-2)!(4-2+1)!}{(4-2\cdot2+1)!}=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>.
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We will use the following
 
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<math>\textbf{Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem:}</math> The [[Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem]] states that if you have <math>a</math> distinguishable objects and <math>b</math> of them cannot be together, then there are <math>\frac{(a-b)!(a-b+1)!}{b!}</math> ways to arrange the objects.
 
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<math>\textit{Proof. (Created by AoPS user RedFireTruck)}</math>
 
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Let our group of <math>a</math> objects be represented like so <math>1</math>, <math>2</math>, <math>3</math>, ..., <math>a-1</math>, <math>a</math>. Let the last <math>b</math> objects be the ones we can't have together.
 
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Then we can organize our objects like so <math>\square1\square2\square3\square...\square a-b-1\square a-b\square</math>.
 
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We have <math>(a-b)!</math> ways to arrange the objects in that list.
 
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Now we have <math>a-b+1</math> blanks and <math>b</math> other objects so we have <math>_{a-b+1}P_{b}=\frac{(a-b+1)!}{(a-2b+1)!}</math> ways to arrange the objects we can't put together.
 
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By fundamental counting principle our answer is <math>\frac{(a-b)!(a-b+1)!}{(a-2b+1)!}</math>.
 
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Proof by [[User:RedFireTruck|<font color="#FF0000">RedFireTruck</font>]] ([[User talk:RedFireTruck|<font color="#FF0000">talk</font>]]) 12:09, 1 February 2021 (EST)
 
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Back to the problem. By the [[Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem]], our answer is <math>\frac{(4-2)!(4-2+1)!}{(4-2\cdot2+1)!}=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}</math>.
 
  
 
-franzliszt
 
-franzliszt
  
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==Video Solution by NiuniuMaths (Easy to understand!)==
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==Video Solution by EzLx(CookeMonster)==
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hgK6rESdek&t=9s
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wyxS5wUwqI
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-EzLx(cookemonster) (GamingYT)
  
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~NiuniuMaths
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==Video Solution 3 (Fast)==
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==Video Solution by Math-X (First understand the problem!!!)==
 
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https://youtu.be/UnVo6jZ3Wnk?si=SRVyi268QzPhgWax&t=1232
 
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~Math-X
 
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==Video Solution (🚀 Fast 🚀)==
 
 
https://youtu.be/MC-KA1STkSY
 
https://youtu.be/MC-KA1STkSY
  
 
~Education, the Study of Everything
 
~Education, the Study of Everything
  
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==Video Solution by STEMbreezy==
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==Video Solution 4==
 
https://youtu.be/U27z1hwMXKY?list=PLFcinOE4FNL0TkI-_yKVEYyA_QCS9mBNS&t=354
 
https://youtu.be/U27z1hwMXKY?list=PLFcinOE4FNL0TkI-_yKVEYyA_QCS9mBNS&t=354
  
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{{AMC8 box|year=2020|num-b=9|num-a=11}}
 
{{AMC8 box|year=2020|num-b=9|num-a=11}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}
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[[Category:Introductory Combinatorics Problems]]

Latest revision as of 04:02, 5 August 2025

Problem

Zara has a collection of $4$ marbles: an Aggie, a Bumblebee, a Steelie, and a Tiger. She wants to display them in a row on a shelf, but does not want to put the Steelie and the Tiger next to one another. In how many ways can she do this?

$\textbf{(A) }6 \qquad \textbf{(B) }8 \qquad \textbf{(C) }12 \qquad \textbf{(D) }18 \qquad \textbf{(E) }24$

Solution 1

Let the Aggie, Bumblebee, Steelie, and Tiger, be referred to by $A,B,S,$ and $T$, respectively. If we ignore the constraint that $S$ and $T$ cannot be next to each other, we get a total of $4!=24$ ways to arrange the 4 marbles. We now simply have to subtract out the number of ways that $S$ and $T$ can be next to each other. If we place $S$ and $T$ next to each other in that order, then there are three places that we can place them, namely in the first two slots, in the second two slots, or in the last two slots (i.e. $ST\square\square, \square ST\square, \square\square ST$). However, we could also have placed $S$ and $T$ in the opposite order (i.e. $TS\square\square, \square TS\square, \square\square TS$). Thus there are 6 ways of placing $S$ and $T$ directly next to each other. Next, notice that for each of these placements, we have two open slots for placing $A$ and $B$. Specifically, we can place $A$ in the first open slot and $B$ in the second open slot or switch their order and place $B$ in the first open slot and $A$ in the second open slot. This gives us a total of $6\times 2=12$ ways to place $S$ and $T$ next to each other. Subtracting this from the total number of arrangements gives us $24-12=12$ total arrangements $\implies\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}$.

We can also solve this problem directly by looking at the number of ways that we can place $S$ and $T$ such that they are not directly next to each other. Observe that there are three ways to place $S$ and $T$ (in that order) into the four slots so they are not next to each other (i.e. $S\square T\square, \square S\square T, S\square\square T$). However, we could also have placed $S$ and $T$ in the opposite order (i.e. $T\square S\square, \square T\square S, T\square\square S$). Thus there are 6 ways of placing $S$ and $T$ so that they are not next to each other. Next, notice that for each of these placements, we have two open slots for placing $A$ and $B$. Specifically, we can place $A$ in the first open slot and $B$ in the second open slot or switch their order and place $B$ in the first open slot and $A$ in the second open slot. This gives us a total of $6\times 2=12$ ways to place $S$ and $T$ such that they are not next to each other $\implies\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}$.
~junaidmansuri

Solution 2

Let's try complementary counting. There $4!$ ways to arrange the 4 marbles. However, there are $2\cdot3!$ arrangements where Steelie and Tiger are next to each other. (Think about permutations of the element ST, A, and B or TS, A, and B). Thus, \[4!-2\cdot3!=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}\]

Solution 3

We use complementary counting: we will count the numbers of ways where Steelie and Tiger are together and subtract that from the total count. Treat the Steelie and the Tiger as a "super marble." There are $2!$ ways to arrange Steelie and Tiger within this "super marble." Then there are $3!$ ways to arrange the "super marble" and Zara's two other marbles in a row. Since there are $4!$ ways to arrange the marbles without any restrictions, the answer is given by $4!-2!\cdot 3!=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}$

-franzliszt

Solution 4

By the Georgeooga-Harryooga Theorem, our answer is $\frac{(4-2)!(4-2+1)!}{(4-2\cdot2+1)!}=\boxed{\textbf{(C) }12}$.

-franzliszt

Video Solution by EzLx(CookeMonster)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wyxS5wUwqI -EzLx(cookemonster) (GamingYT)

Video Solution 3 (Fast)

https://youtu.be/MC-KA1STkSY

~Education, the Study of Everything

Video Solution 4

https://youtu.be/U27z1hwMXKY?list=PLFcinOE4FNL0TkI-_yKVEYyA_QCS9mBNS&t=354

~STEMbreezy

See also

2020 AMC 8 (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 9 		Followed by
Problem 11
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

These problems are copyrighted © by the Mathematical Association of America, as part of the American Mathematics Competitions. AMC Logo.png

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