AdditionPrinciple BasicCountingPattern PUMaC Intermediate
2015


Problem - 2610
A word is an ordered, non-empty sequence of letters, such as word or wrod. How many distinct words can be made from a subset of the letters $\textit{c, o, m, b, o}$, where each letter in the list is used no more than the number of times it appears?

We do case work and, if applicable, within each case further divided two sub-cases depending on whether the two $o$s present. If both $o$s present, it will introduce a duplicate factor of $2$.

  • $5$-letter word: $\frac{P_5^5}{2!}=60$
  • $4$-letter word: $P_4^4 + \frac{C_3^2\times P_4^4}{2!}=60$
  • $3$-letter word: $P_4^3 + \frac{C_3^1\times P_3^3}{2!}=33$
  • $2$-letter word: $P_4^2 + 1=13$
  • $1$-letter word: $4$

Therefore totally $\boxed{170}$ words can be constructed.

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