Question

A game uses a deck of $n$ different cards, where $n$ is an integer and $n \ge 6.$ The number of possible sets of $6$ cards that can be drawn from the deck is $6$ times the number of possible sets of $3$ cards that can be drawn. Find $n.$

Answer

Answer: 13

Concepts:combinations factorial

Difficulty rating: 1890

Solution:

The condition says $\binom{n}{6} = 6\binom{n}{3}.$ Dividing the binomial coefficients, $\begin{aligned} \frac{\binom{n}{6}}{\binom{n}{3}} &= \frac{(n-3)(n-4)(n-5)}{6 \cdot 5 \cdot 4} \\ &= 6, \end{aligned}$ so $(n-3)(n-4)(n-5) = 720$ $= 10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8.$

Since the product $(n-3)(n-4)(n-5)$ is increasing in $n,$ the only solution is $n - 3 = 10,$ that is, $n = 13.$

2005 AIME II Problem 1

Answer: 13

Difficulty rating: 1890

Solution:

Problem 1 in Other Years