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Difference between revisions of "2004 AIME I Problems/Problem 6"
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<math>x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4</math> such that <math>x_1<x_2<x_3<x_4</math>. There are five arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: <math>x_1x_3x_2x_4</math>, <math>x_1x_4x_2x_3</math>, <math>x_2x_3x_1x_4</math>, <math>x_2x_4x_1x_3</math>, <math>x_3x_4x_1x_2</math>. Thus there are <math>5\cdot {9\choose 4}=630</math> snakelike numbers which do not contain the digit zero.
 
<math>x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4</math> such that <math>x_1<x_2<x_3<x_4</math>. There are five arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: <math>x_1x_3x_2x_4</math>, <math>x_1x_4x_2x_3</math>, <math>x_2x_3x_1x_4</math>, <math>x_2x_4x_1x_3</math>, <math>x_3x_4x_1x_2</math>. Thus there are <math>5\cdot {9\choose 4}=630</math> snakelike numbers which do not contain the digit zero.
  
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In the second case we choose zero and three other digits such that <math>0<x_2<x_3<x_4</math>. There are three arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: <math>x_2x_30x_4</math>, <math>x_2x_40x_3</math>, <math>x_3x_40x_2</math>. Because we know that zero is a digit, there are <math>3\cdot{9\choose 3}=252</math> snakelike numbers which contain the digit zero. Thus there are <math>630+252=882</math> snakelike numbers.
+
In the second case we choose zero and three other digits such that <math>0<x_2<x_3<x_4</math>. There are three arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: <math>x_2x_30x_4</math>, <math>x_2x_40x_3</math>, <math>x_3x_40x_2</math>. Because we know that zero is a digit, there are <math>3\cdot{9\choose 3}=252</math> snakelike numbers which contain the digit zero. Thus there are <math>630+252=\boxed{882}</math> snakelike numbers.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
{{AIME box|year=2004|n=I|num-b=5|num-a=7}}
 
{{AIME box|year=2004|n=I|num-b=5|num-a=7}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 18:21, 1 January 2016

Problem

An integer is called snakelike if its decimal representation $a_1a_2a_3\cdots a_k$ satisfies $a_i<a_{i+1}$ if $i$ is odd and $a_i>a_{i+1}$ if $i$ is even. How many snakelike integers between 1000 and 9999 have four distinct digits?

Solution

We divide the problem into two cases: one in which zero is one of the digits and one in which it is not. In the latter case, suppose we pick digits $x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4$ such that $x_1<x_2<x_3<x_4$. There are five arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: $x_1x_3x_2x_4$, $x_1x_4x_2x_3$, $x_2x_3x_1x_4$, $x_2x_4x_1x_3$, $x_3x_4x_1x_2$. Thus there are $5\cdot {9\choose 4}=630$ snakelike numbers which do not contain the digit zero.

In the second case we choose zero and three other digits such that $0<x_2<x_3<x_4$. There are three arrangements of these digits that satisfy the condition of being snakelike: $x_2x_30x_4$, $x_2x_40x_3$, $x_3x_40x_2$. Because we know that zero is a digit, there are $3\cdot{9\choose 3}=252$ snakelike numbers which contain the digit zero. Thus there are $630+252=\boxed{882}$ snakelike numbers.

See also

2004 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 5 		Followed by
Problem 7
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All AIME Problems and Solutions

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