NVAMediumJEE 2023Applications of P&C

JEE Mathematics 2023 Question with Solution

The number of permutations of the digits 11, 22, 33, ..., 77 without repetition, which neither contain the string 153153 nor the string 24672467, is:

Answer

Correct answer:4898

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: The digits are 1,2,3,4,5,6,71, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Find: The number of permutations which contain neither the string 153153 nor the string 24672467.

Use the inclusion-exclusion principle.

Count permutations containing the string 153153 by treating 153153 as one block.

Then the objects are 153,2,4,6,7153, 2, 4, 6, 7, so the number of arrangements is

5!=1205! = 120

Count permutations containing the string 24672467 by treating 24672467 as one block.

Then the objects are 2467,1,3,52467, 1, 3, 5, so the number of arrangements is

4!=244! = 24

Count permutations containing both strings 153153 and 24672467.

Then the two blocks are 153153 and 24672467, so the number of arrangements is

2!=22! = 2

By inclusion-exclusion, the number of permutations containing at least one of these strings is

n(1532467)=5!+4!2!=120+242=142n(153 \cup 2467) = 5! + 4! - 2! = 120 + 24 - 2 = 142

The total number of permutations of 77 distinct digits is

7!=50407! = 5040

Therefore, the number containing neither string is

5040142=48985040 - 142 = 4898

So, the required number is 48984898.

The solution shows 154 in one place and 2367 in another, but the working values used are 5!5!, 4!4!, and 2!2!, which correctly correspond to the question strings 153153 and 24672467. Hence the final answer remains 48984898.

Direct Counting Shortcut

Given: Total permutations of 11 to 77.

Find: Those with neither 153153 nor 24672467.

Treat each forbidden string as a single block.

Directly write:

7!5!4!+2!7! - 5! - 4! + 2!

Here, 5!5! counts arrangements containing 153153, 4!4! counts arrangements containing 24672467, and 2!2! is added back because arrangements containing both were subtracted twice.

Now compute:

504012024+2=48985040 - 120 - 24 + 2 = 4898

Therefore, the required number is 48984898.

Common mistakes

  • Treating the forbidden strings 153153 or 24672467 as unordered groups is incorrect. They must appear in exactly that order as strings. So 153153 is one block, but 135135 or 351351 are not counted.

  • Forgetting inclusion-exclusion gives an incorrect count. If you subtract arrangements containing 153153 and arrangements containing 24672467 separately, the cases containing both strings are removed twice. Add back 2!2! once.

  • Using the wrong block count is a common error. When 153153 is treated as one block, the total objects become 55, not 44. When 24672467 is treated as one block, the total objects become 44, not 33.

Practice more Applications of P&C questions

Get unlimited AI-adaptive practice, mastery tracking, and an AI tutor that explains every step — free to start.

Related questions