The number of seven digit positive integers formed using the digits $1,2,3$ and $4$ only and sum of the digits equal to $12$ is ___________.
Answer (integer)
413
Solution
$x_1+x_2+x_3+\ldots x_7=12$. This equation represents the number of ways to distribute 12 identical items (the sum of the digits) into 7 distinct boxes (the seven digits of the number), where each box can contain one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4.
<br/><br/>Number of solutions
<br/><br/>$$
\begin{aligned}
& =\text { Coefficient of } x^{12} \text { in }\left(x^1+x^2+x^3+x^4\right)^7 \\\\
& =\text { Coefficient of } x^5 \text { in }\left(1+x+x^2+x^3\right)^7 \\\\
& =\text { Coefficient of } x^5 \text { in }\left(1-x^4\right)^7(1-x)^{-7} \\\\
& =\text { Coefficient of } x^5 \text { in }\left(1-7 x^4\right)(1-x)^{-7} \\\\
& =\text { Coefficient of } x^5 \text { in }\left(1-7 x^4\right) \sum_{r=0}^{\infty}{ }^{7+r-1} C_r \cdot x^r \\\\
& ={ }^{11} C_5-7 \times{ }^7 C_1 \\\\
& =462-49=413
\end{aligned}
$$
About this question
Subject: Mathematics · Chapter: Permutations and Combinations · Topic: Fundamental Counting Principle
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