Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [combinatorics]

For questions about the study of finite or countable discrete structures, especially how to count or enumerate elements in a set (perhaps of all possibilities) or any subset. It includes questions on permutations, combinations, bijective proofs, and generating functions.

Combinatorics is the study of finite or countable discrete structures — especially enumerative combinatorics: how to count or enumerate elements in a set (perhaps of all possibilities) or any subset. This tag can be used for questions about permutations, combinations, partially ordered sets, bijection proofs, and generating functions.

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To learn more about enumerative combinatorics, see Wikipedia or Richard P. Stanley's Enumerative Combinatorics.

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100 Soldiers riddle

One of my friends found this riddle. There are 100 soldiers. 85 lose a left leg, 80 lose a right leg, 75 lose a left arm, 70 lose a right arm. What is the minimum number of soldiers losing all 4 limbs? We can't seem to agree on a way to approach…
Pieter van Niekerk
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Rigorous nature of combinatorics

Context: I'm a high school student, who has only ever had an introductory treatment, if that, on combinatorics. As such, the extent to which I have seen combinatoric applications is limited to situations such as "If you need a group of 2 men and 3…
frog1944
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Combinatorial proof of summation of $\sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {n \choose k}^2= {2n \choose n}$

I was hoping to find a more "mathematical" proof, instead of proving logically $\displaystyle \sum_{k = 0}^n {n \choose k}^2= {2n \choose n}$. I already know the logical Proof: $${n \choose k}^2 = {n \choose k}{ n \choose n-k}$$ Hence summation can…
Lance C
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Number of ways to write n as a sum of k nonnegative integers

How many ways can I write a positive integer $n$ as a sum of $k$ nonnegative integers up to commutativity? For example, I can write $4$ as $0+0+4$, $0+1+3$, $0+2+2$, and $1+1+2$. I know how to find the number of noncommutative ways to form the sum:…
Yellow
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What is the math behind the game Spot It?

I just purchased the game Spot It. As per this site, the structure of the game is as follows: Game has 55 round playing cards. Each card has eight randomly placed symbols. There are a total of 50 different symbols through the deck. The most…
Javid Jamae
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What is the proof that the total number of subsets of a set is $2^n$?

What is the proof that given a set of $n$ elements there are $2^n$ possible subsets (including the empty-set and the original set).
Celeritas
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Combinatorial proof that $\sum \limits_{k=0}^n \binom{2k}{k} \binom{2n-2k}{n-k} (-1)^k = 2^n \binom{n}{n/2}$ when $n$ is even

In my answer here I prove, using generating functions, a statement equivalent to $$\sum_{k=0}^n \binom{2k}{k} \binom{2n-2k}{n-k} (-1)^k = 2^n \binom{n}{n/2}$$ when $n$ is even. (Clearly the sum is $0$ when $n$ is odd.) The nice expression on the…
Mike Spivey
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Mathematical research of Pokémon

In competitive Pokémon-play, two players pick a team of six Pokémon out of the 718 available. These are picked independently, that is, player $A$ is unaware of player $B$'s choice of Pokémon. Some online servers let the players see the opponents…
Andrew Thompson
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Why is the Traveling Salesperson Problem "Difficult"?

The Traveling Salesperson Problem is originally a mathematics/computer science optimization problem in which the goal is to determine a path to take between a group of cities such that you return to the starting city after visiting each city exactly…
stats_noob
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Can Erdős-Turán $\frac{5}{8}$ theorem be generalised that way?

Suppose for an arbitrary group word $w$ ower the alphabet of $n$ symbols $\mathfrak{U_w}$ is a variety of all groups $G$, that satisfy an identity $\forall a_1, … , a_n \in G$ $w(a_1, … , a_n) = e$. Is it true, that for any group word $w$ there…
Chain Markov
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Is this determinant identity known?

Let $A$ be an $n \times n$ matrix that is 'almost upper triangular' in the following sense: entries on and above the main diagonal can be whatever they want, entries on the diagonal just below the main diagonal all equal -1 and entries on even lower…
Vincent
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Proof of the hockey stick/Zhu Shijie identity $\sum\limits_{t=0}^n \binom tk = \binom{n+1}{k+1}$

After reading this question, the most popular answer use the identity $$\sum_{t=0}^n \binom{t}{k} = \binom{n+1}{k+1}.$$ What's the name of this identity? Is it the identity of the Pascal's triangle modified. How can we prove it? I tried by…
hlapointe
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Can $18$ consecutive integers be separated into two groups,such that their product is equal?

Can $18$ consecutive positive integers be separated into two groups, such that their product is equal? We cannot leave out any number and neither we can take any number more than once. My work: When the smallest number is not $17$ or its…
Hawk
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A comprehensive list of binomial identities?

Is there a comprehensive resource listing binomial identities? I am more interested in combinatorial proofs of such identities, but even a list without proofs will do.
user813
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Probability for the length of the longest run in $n$ Bernoulli trials

Suppose a biased coin (probability of head being $p$) was flipped $n$ times. I would like to find the probability that the length of the longest run of heads, say $\ell_n$, exceeds a given number $m$, i.e. $\mathbb{P}(\ell_n > m)$. It suffices to…
Sasha
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