2022 AMC 10A Problem 24
Attempt Problem 24 of the 2022 AMC 10A below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2022 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.
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24.
How many strings of length formed from the digits are there such that for each at least of the digits are less than
(For example, satisfies this condition because it contains at least digit less than at least digits less than at least digits less than and at least digits less than The string does not satisfy the condition because it does not contain at least digits less than )
Answer: E
Solution:
Regard the five digits, in order, as the preferred parking spaces of five cars. Spaces are numbered and each car takes its preferred space if possible, or else the first empty space to its right. If the preferences sorted into nondecreasing order are all cars park exactly when These inequalities are precisely the conditions in the problem.
To count such preference strings, add a sixth space and arrange spaces in a circle. For any of the preference strings, all five cars park and exactly one space remains empty. Rotating every preference by one position rotates the empty space as well. Thus each orbit of six preference strings has each possible empty space exactly once.
Therefore exactly circular preference strings leave space empty. No car in such a string prefers space and cutting the circle immediately after that empty space gives exactly a successful parking sequence on spaces through Hence the desired number of strings is
Thus, E is the correct answer.
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