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2008 AMC 10B Problem 22

Problem 22 of 25HarderCounting & Probability

Three red beads, two white beads, and one blue bead are placed in a line in random order. What is the probability that no two neighboring beads are the same color?

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Solution

There are 6!3!2!=60\tfrac{6!}{3!\,2!}=60 distinguishable orderings. The three reds must occupy non-adjacent positions, and the possible red placements are {1,3,5},{2,4,6},{1,3,6},\{1,3,5\},\{2,4,6\},\{1,3,6\}, and {1,4,6}.\{1,4,6\}. For {1,3,5}\{1,3,5\} and {2,4,6},\{2,4,6\}, the remaining seats are mutually non-adjacent, so the blue bead can go in any of the 3,3, giving 3+3=6.3+3=6. For {1,3,6}\{1,3,6\} and {1,4,6},\{1,4,6\}, two remaining seats are adjacent, so the blue must separate the whites, giving 2+2=4.2+2=4. That is 1010 valid orderings, so the probability is 1060=16.\tfrac{10}{60}=\tfrac16. Thus, the correct answer is C.

More practice

Concepts: basic probability · multiset permutations · arrangements with restrictions

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.