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I don't know how to explain that they are counting the same thing, but I can explain the algebra.
 
I don't know how to explain that they are counting the same thing, but I can explain the algebra.
 
(update):  I've been thinking, and perhaps soneone else can follow my line of thinking and confirm:
 
(update):  I've been thinking, and perhaps soneone else can follow my line of thinking and confirm:
imagine you have n pairs of socks [for example purpose lets say 4 (red, blue, green, and yellow)] all with an left and right.  Now the right side is saying "how many ways can I pick two socks from the 2n (8) total?"  Now the right side is a little more tricky.  The n^2 comes from how many ways can I choose a left sock followed by a right sock or n*n (4*4) plus I have to consider the chance that I grab two left socks or grabbing two right socks. So that would be n*n + C(n,2) + C(n,2) or "simplified" to 2*C(n,2)+n^2.  Again double checking the math with the example of 4 pairs, the left side would be C(8,2) = (8*7)/2 = 28.  The right side would be 2*C(4,2)+4^2 = 2*4*3/2 + 16 = 12+16= 28 (CHECK)  
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imagine you have n pairs of socks [for example purpose lets say 4 (red, blue, green, and yellow)] all with an left and right.  Now the right side is saying "how many ways can I pick two socks (a pair) from the 2n (8) total?"  Now the right side is a little more tricky because it looks at how to pick pairs.  The n^2 comes from how many ways can I choose a pair containing both a left sock and right sock or n*n (4*4) plus I have to consider the pairs of two left socks and the pairs of two right socks. So that would be n*n + C(n,2) + C(n,2) or "simplified" to 2*C(n,2)+n^2.  Again double checking the math with the example of 4 pairs, the left side would be C(8,2) = (8*7)/2 = 28.  The right side would be 2*C(4,2)+4^2 = 2*4*3/2 + 16 = 12+16= 28 (CHECK)  
  
First, looking at the left side you have C(2n,2) which equals <math>\frac{(2n)!}{(2!*(2n-2)!}</math>.  This can be "simplified" to <math>\frac{(2n*(2n-1))}{2}</math>. which further simplifies down to <math>2n^2-n</math>.  The right side starts at <math>2*C(n,2)+n^2</math>.  so <math>2*(\frac{n!}{(2!*(n-2)!)})+n^2</math>.  Simplifing this leads to <math>\frac{(2*n*(n-1))}{2} + n^2</math> which goes to <math>n^2 - n + n^2</math> which ofcourse equals <math>2n^2 - n</math>.  (someone that understands how to make the formulas look nice, feel free to do so).
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First, looking at the left side you have C(2n,2) which equals <math>\frac{(2n)!}{(2!*(2n-2)!}</math>.  This can be "simplified" to <math>\frac{(2n*(2n-1))}{2}</math>. which further simplifies down to <math>2n^2-n</math>.  The right side starts at <math>2*C(n,2)+n^2</math>.  so <math>2*(\frac{n!}{(2!*(n-2)!)})+n^2</math>.  Simplifing this leads to <math>\frac{(2*n*(n-1))}{2} + n^2</math> which goes to <math>n^2 - n + n^2</math> which ofcourse equals <math>2n^2 - n</math>.  (someone that understands how to make the formulas look nice, feel free to do so.  P.S thanx for whomever updated the math parts :-D, much nicer).

Latest revision as of 19:59, 17 September 2008

Can someone explain this one (both a and b... I can't get the algebra to work out)?

I don't know how to explain that they are counting the same thing, but I can explain the algebra. (update): I've been thinking, and perhaps soneone else can follow my line of thinking and confirm: imagine you have n pairs of socks [for example purpose lets say 4 (red, blue, green, and yellow)] all with an left and right. Now the right side is saying "how many ways can I pick two socks (a pair) from the 2n (8) total?" Now the right side is a little more tricky because it looks at how to pick pairs. The n^2 comes from how many ways can I choose a pair containing both a left sock and right sock or n*n (4*4) plus I have to consider the pairs of two left socks and the pairs of two right socks. So that would be n*n + C(n,2) + C(n,2) or "simplified" to 2*C(n,2)+n^2. Again double checking the math with the example of 4 pairs, the left side would be C(8,2) = (8*7)/2 = 28. The right side would be 2*C(4,2)+4^2 = 2*4*3/2 + 16 = 12+16= 28 (CHECK)

First, looking at the left side you have C(2n,2) which equals $ \frac{(2n)!}{(2!*(2n-2)!} $. This can be "simplified" to $ \frac{(2n*(2n-1))}{2} $. which further simplifies down to $ 2n^2-n $. The right side starts at $ 2*C(n,2)+n^2 $. so $ 2*(\frac{n!}{(2!*(n-2)!)})+n^2 $. Simplifing this leads to $ \frac{(2*n*(n-1))}{2} + n^2 $ which goes to $ n^2 - n + n^2 $ which ofcourse equals $ 2n^2 - n $. (someone that understands how to make the formulas look nice, feel free to do so. P.S thanx for whomever updated the math parts :-D, much nicer).

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