Thread: String counting questions

There are two parts to this one. They are listed word for word.

1. How many 12 lowercase letter strings are there that contain at least 2 vowels (a vowel is one of {a,e,i,o,u})?
   
2. How many bit strings
   
   1. of length 12 contain 8 consecutive zeros?
   2. are there of length at least 5 and at most 10?

Please show your work.

Hello Runty

Originally Posted by Runty

There are two parts to this one. They are listed word for word.

1. How many 12 lowercase letter strings are there that contain at least 2 vowels (a vowel is one of {a,e,i,o,u})?
2. How many bit strings
   
   1. of length 12 contain 8 consecutive zeros?
   2. are there of length at least 5 and at most 10?
   
   

Please show your work.

1. Assuming that repetition is allowed, there are strings altogether. Of these, there are that contain no vowels.

To construct a string containing exactly one vowel:

there are positions in which the vowel might be placed;

there are choices of vowel;

there are then choices of consonant for the remaining places.

Total:

So the number of letter strings that contain or more vowels is:

which is quite a lot!

2a. I am assuming this means exactly consecutive zeros. So consider the 'block' containing these zeros. This is to be positioned along with other bits.

If the block is at one end of the bits:

there are two choices of end;

the bit immediately adjacent to the block must be a ;

there are then choices of the remaining 3 bits.

Total:

If the block of zeros is not at one end:

there are choices of position for the block;

the bit on either side of the block must be a ;

there are then choices for the remaining two bits.

Total:

So the overall total is .

2b. There are bit strings of length . So there are:

bits strings of length to inclusive.

I reckon that adds up to .

Grandad