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Difference between revisions of "2016 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 20"

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All the desired terms are in the form <math>a^xb^yc^zd^w1^t</math>, where <math>x + y + z + w + t = N</math> (the <math>1^t</math> part is necessary to make stars and bars work better.)
 
All the desired terms are in the form <math>a^xb^yc^zd^w1^t</math>, where <math>x + y + z + w + t = N</math> (the <math>1^t</math> part is necessary to make stars and bars work better.)
 
Since <math>x</math>, <math>y</math>, <math>z</math>, and <math>w</math> must be at least <math>1</math>, let <math>x' = x - 1</math>, <math>y' = y - 1</math>, <math>z' = z - 1</math>, and <math>w' = w - 1</math>, so <math>x' + y' + z' + w' + t = N - 4</math>. Now, we use stars and bars to see that there are <math>\binom{N}{4}</math> solutions to this equation. We have <math>\binom{14}{4} = 1001</math>, so <math>N = \boxed{14}</math>.
 
Since <math>x</math>, <math>y</math>, <math>z</math>, and <math>w</math> must be at least <math>1</math>, let <math>x' = x - 1</math>, <math>y' = y - 1</math>, <math>z' = z - 1</math>, and <math>w' = w - 1</math>, so <math>x' + y' + z' + w' + t = N - 4</math>. Now, we use stars and bars to see that there are <math>\binom{N}{4}</math> solutions to this equation. We have <math>\binom{14}{4} = 1001</math>, so <math>N = \boxed{14}</math>.
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==See Also==
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{{AMC10 box|year=2016|ab=A|num-b=23|num-a=25}}
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{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 21:38, 3 February 2016

For some particular value of $N$, when $(a+b+c+d+1)^N$ is expanded and like terms are combined, the resulting expression contains exactly $1001$ terms that include all four variables $a, b,c,$ and $d$, each to some positive power. What is $N$?

$\textbf{(A) }9 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 14 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 16 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 17 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 19$

Solution

All the desired terms are in the form $a^xb^yc^zd^w1^t$, where $x + y + z + w + t = N$ (the $1^t$ part is necessary to make stars and bars work better.) Since $x$, $y$, $z$, and $w$ must be at least $1$, let $x' = x - 1$, $y' = y - 1$, $z' = z - 1$, and $w' = w - 1$, so $x' + y' + z' + w' + t = N - 4$. Now, we use stars and bars to see that there are $\binom{N}{4}$ solutions to this equation. We have $\binom{14}{4} = 1001$, so $N = \boxed{14}$.

See Also

2016 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 23 		Followed by
Problem 25
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 AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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