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Printimc
counting and probability junior
Problem
How many distinguishable arrangements are there of brown tile, purple tile, green tiles, and yellow tiles in a row from left to right? (Tiles of the same color are indistinguishable.)
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Solution
Let's first find how many possibilities there would be if they were all distinguishable, then divide out the ones we overcounted. There are ways to order objects. However, since there's ways to switch the yellow tiles around without changing anything (since they're indistinguishable) and ways to order the green tiles, we have to divide out these possibilities: .
Final answer
B