NVAMediumJEE 2023Applications of P&C

JEE Mathematics 2023 Question with Solution

Some couples participated in a mixed doubles badminton tournament. If the number of matches played, so that no couple is in a match, is 840840, then the total number of persons who participated in the tournament is:

Answer

Correct answer:16

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: Let the number of couples be nn. The number of matches such that no couple is in a match is 840840.

Find: The total number of persons who participated in the tournament.

The total number of ways is given by

n(n1)2(n2)(n3)22=840\frac{n(n-1)}{2} \cdot \frac{(n-2)(n-3)}{2} \cdot 2 = 840

Step 1: Simplify the equation:

n(n1)(n2)(n3)=8404n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3) = 840 \cdot 4 n(n1)(n2)(n3)=3360n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3) = 3360

Step 2: Factorize 33603360:

3360=87653360 = 8 \cdot 7 \cdot 6 \cdot 5

Thus, n=8n = 8.

Step 3: Calculate the total number of persons:

Total persons=2n=2(8)=16\text{Total persons} = 2n = 2(8) = 16

Therefore, the number of persons is 1616.

Combination Form

Given: Let the total number of couples be nn.

Find: The total number of players.

According to the given condition,

nC2n2C22=840{}^nC_2 \cdot {}^{n-2}C_2 \cdot 2 = 840

From this, we get n=8n = 8. Hence the total number of players is

8×2=168 \times 2 = 16

Therefore, the total number of persons is 1616.

A small grey image showing the combination equation nC2 multiplied by n minus 2 C2 multiplied by 2 equals 840, followed by implication n equals 8.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing any two men and any two women independently is wrong because the condition says no husband and wife can be in the same match. Instead, count valid pairs of couples first and then arrange the mixed doubles pairing.

  • Forgetting the factor of 22 is a common mistake. After selecting two couples, there are two valid ways to form the mixed doubles teams without placing a couple together.

  • Taking nn as the number of persons instead of the number of couples gives a wrong equation. Here nn represents couples, so the final number of persons is 2n2n.

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