| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The number of ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes is the number of partitions of 5 into at most 3 positive integers. Let's list all the possible partitions: | The number of ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes is the number of partitions of 5 into at most 3 positive integers. Let's list all the possible partitions: | ||
| − | 5; | + | 5;<br> |
| − | 4,1; | + | 4,1;<br> |
| − | 3,2; | + | 3,2;<br> |
| − | 3,1,1; | + | 3,1,1;<br> |
| − | 2,2,1; | + | 2,2,1;<br> |
Since all the possibilities are listed, there are 5 ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes. | Since all the possibilities are listed, there are 5 ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes. | ||
Revision as of 23:34, 24 September 2008
The number of ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes is the number of partitions of 5 into at most 3 positive integers. Let's list all the possible partitions:
5;
4,1;
3,2;
3,1,1;
2,2,1;
Since all the possibilities are listed, there are 5 ways to distribute 5 indistinguishable objects into 3 indistinguishable boxes.
Answer: 5
--Asuleime 03:34, 25 September 2008 (UTC)
