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Problem 3 Recursion

This document describes a recursion problem about placing 15 presents under a Christmas tree in different arrangements while following certain rules. It presents the recursion Sn = 2Sn-1 + 3Sn-2 to model the problem and solves it to determine there are 14,348,904 ways to arrange the presents. It also provides a practice problem about painting the tips of a star in three colors without adjacent tips being the same color, which has 30 arrangements.

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94 views

Problem 3 Recursion

This document describes a recursion problem about placing 15 presents under a Christmas tree in different arrangements while following certain rules. It presents the recursion Sn = 2Sn-1 + 3Sn-2 to model the problem and solves it to determine there are 14,348,904 ways to arrange the presents. It also provides a practice problem about painting the tips of a star in three colors without adjacent tips being the same color, which has 30 arrangements.

Uploaded by

seansoni
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem 3: Recursion UIUC Comprehensive Exam 2005

Problem: Santa has fifteen presents to place in a circle under a Christmas tree (starting
with one directly north). He has four kinds of wrapping paper, and packages wrapped in the
same paper look identical. He insists that he not place two packages with the same wrapping
paper next to each other, but is worried that he will not be able to make the base of every
tree look different (when looking directly north). How many ways are there to wrap and
place the packages?

Solution: For a generic case of n presents, we will generate each arrangement using previous
arrangements.

Looking at each arrangement of n−1, we can see that to create an arrangement for n presents,
we simply insert a present in between two presents. There will be two choices for this present’s
wrapping paper because the ones on either side will have different colored paper, leaving two
choices.

However, this only counts the arrangements where the present is added between two different
presents, excluding ones where the present is added between two of the same presents. To
account for this, look at each arrangement of n − 2 presents. Two presents will be added,
one will match, leaving the other with 3 arrangements.

Thus, the recursion is Sn = 2Sn−1 + 3Sn−2 , which can also be written as

f (n + 2) = 2f (n + 1) + 3f (n)

To solve a recurrence, turn f (n + 0) into n0 , f (n + 1) into n1 , f (n + 2) into n2 , etc. and solve


for n:
n2 = 2n + 3
n = −1 or 3
Then f (n) = a ∗ (−1)n + b ∗ 3n for constants a and b.

Then f (1) = 3b − a = 0 and f (2) = 9b + a = 12. Solving, b = 1 and a = 3, so

f (n) = 3n + 3(−1)n
f (15) = 315 − 3 = 14, 348, 904

Practice Problem: The tips of a five-pointed star are to be painted red, white and blue.
How many ways can this be done if no adjacent points can be the same color? (North Carolina
State High School Mathematics Contest 2003) [Answer: 30]

Solution was written by Bryce Taylor and compiled from Art of Problem Solving Forums.

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