To determine the number of ways to distribute 30 identical balls into 3 identical boxes, we need to consider the concept of integer partitions, which involves finding the number of ways to write a given integer as a sum of positive integers, considering different permutations of the parts as identical.

Here, we want to partition 30 into up to 3 parts, where the order of parts does not matter. This is equivalent to finding the number of solutions to the equation:

$x_1 + x_2 + x_3 = 30$

where $x_1, x_2, x_3 \geq 0$ and the $x_i$ are integers.

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Generating Functions Approach: Consider the generating function for each variable $x_i$:

   $G(x) = \frac{1}{1 - x} \times \frac{1}{1 - x} \times \frac{1}{1 - x} = \left( \frac{1}{1 - x} \right)^3$

   This can be expanded as:

   $G(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \binom{n + 2}{2} x^n$

   Here, the coefficient of $x^{30}$ in the expansion gives the number of non-negative integer solutions to the equation.

2. Calculation Using Stars and Bars: The number of non-negative integer solutions to the equation $x_1 + x_2 + x_3 = 30$ is given by:

   $\binom{30 + 3 - 1}{3 - 1} = \binom{32}{2} = \frac{32 \times 31}{2 \times 1} = 496$

3. Adjusting for Identical Boxes: Since the boxes are identical, we must account for the overcounting of permutations. This can be handled using the theory of partitions and considering different distinct configurations that sum to 30:

   • $(30, 0, 0)$
   • $(29, 1, 0)$
   • $(28, 2, 0)$
   • $\vdots$
   • $(15, 15, 0)$
   • $\vdots$
   • $(10, 10, 10)$

4. Distinct Partitions into 3 Parts: We are looking for the number of distinct integer partitions of 30 into up to 3 parts. To simplify:

   • Using known results from integer partition theory and direct enumeration, we find that there are exactly 18 partitions of 30 into 3 parts where the order of parts does not matter.

Conclusion:

The number of ways to distribute 30 identical balls into 3 identical boxes is given by the number of partitions of 30 into up to 3 parts, which is 18.

Therefore, there are 18 ways to distribute 30 identical balls into 3 identical boxes.

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Do you need more details or have any questions?

Here are 8 related questions:

1. How would the solution change if the boxes were distinguishable?
2. What if we need to distribute 30 balls into 4 identical boxes?
3. How can generating functions help in solving partition problems?
4. What are the integer partitions of 20 into 3 parts?
5. How many ways can 15 balls be distributed in 3 identical boxes?
6. Can you explain the stars and bars method in combinatorics?
7. What is the significance of the binomial coefficient in combinatorial problems?
8. How does the concept of overcounting apply in problems involving identical objects?

Tip: When dealing with identical objects and containers, always consider the effect of permutations and how they influence the count of unique distributions.