Math Problem Statement

i have 2 red balls and 1 blue ball, i have to line them up. After lining, conseccutive balls that be same color, make a block. How many way i can line to make 3 blocks ?

Solution

To solve this, you want to line up 2 red balls (R) and 1 blue ball (B) in a way such that there are 3 blocks, which means each ball forms its own block and no consecutive balls have the same color. This ensures no two same-color balls are adjacent.

Key Observation:

To achieve 3 blocks, the balls must alternate colors because any two consecutive balls of the same color will merge into one block. Hence, the only valid arrangement is:

RBR(or equivalently)BRBR \, B \, R \quad \text{(or equivalently)} \quad B \, R \, B

However, since there are only 2 red balls and 1 blue ball, the arrangement BRBB \, R \, B is not possible because it requires 2 blue balls.

Therefore, the only possible arrangement is:

RBRR \, B \, R

Step-by-step Explanation:

  1. Fix the arrangement RBRR \, B \, R:

    • The first position must be red.
    • The second position must be blue.
    • The third position must be red.
  2. Count the arrangements:

    • Since the red balls are indistinguishable, there is only 1 way to arrange the balls to satisfy the condition.

Final Answer:

There is exactly **1 way** to line up the balls to make 3 blocks.\text{There is exactly **1 way** to line up the balls to make 3 blocks.}


Let me know if you'd like further details! Here are five related questions for practice:

  1. What if you had 2 red balls and 2 blue balls? How many ways could you arrange them to make 4 blocks?
  2. How many ways can you line up 3 red balls and 2 blue balls to create exactly 3 blocks?
  3. If you had 4 balls of different colors, how many arrangements create 4 blocks?
  4. What if the balls were distinguishable? How would that affect the number of ways to create 3 blocks?
  5. What is the total number of ways to arrange 3 balls (2 red, 1 blue) without any block constraints?

Tip: When solving block-related problems, consider how "adjacent" elements merge to simplify counting!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Combinatorics
Counting Principles
Block Formation in Sequences

Formulas

Permutations and Arrangements

Theorems

Block Formation Principle

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 7-9