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CD Collection

Age 14 to 16
ShortChallenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Secondary curriculum
  • Problem
  • Solutions


First, we need to decide which artist will go first, which will go second, and which will go third.

There are 3 options for the artist that goes first, and then 2 options remaining for the artist that goes second, and then only 1 option left for the artist that goes third. So there are 3$\times$2$\times$1 = 6 ways to decide which artist will go first, which will go second, and which will go third.

There are 2 Beatles CDs, so for each position that they could be in relative to the other CDs, there are 2 options for the Beatles CDs - because they could go either way round.

Similarly, since there are 3 Elvis Presley CDs, for each position that they could be in relative to the other CDs, there are 3 options for the first Elvis Presley CD, 2 options for the second and only 1 option for the third. So there are 3$\times$2$\times$1 = 6 ways to arrange the Elvis Presley CDs.

So altogether, there are 6$\times$2$\times$6 = 72 ways to arrange the CDs.
You can find more short problems, arranged by curriculum topic, in our short problems collection.

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Marbles and Bags

Two bags contain different numbers of red and blue marbles. A marble is removed from one of the bags. The marble is blue. What is the probability that it was removed from bag A?

Coin Tossing Games

You and I play a game involving successive throws of a fair coin. Suppose I pick HH and you pick TH. The coin is thrown repeatedly until we see either two heads in a row (I win) or a tail followed by a head (you win). What is the probability that you win?

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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