Counting Distinct Poker Hands with Specific Criteria

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the number of distinct poker hands that can be formed under specific criteria, including two pairs, flushes, straight flushes, and royal flushes. The subject area is combinatorial counting within the context of probability and card games.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use tree diagrams to visualize the choices for forming distinct hands but questions the efficiency of this method. Some participants suggest simplifying the problem and applying fundamental counting principles. Others explore the specifics of counting pairs and the implications of card choices.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, with some offering guidance on simplifying the counting process. There is a focus on verifying the reasoning behind the calculations for forming pairs and the overall structure of the hands. Multiple interpretations of the counting methods are being explored.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes considerations of how to approach the problem without providing complete solutions, reflecting the constraints of homework guidelines. Participants are questioning the assumptions made in their calculations and the methods used to derive the counts.

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Homework Statement


A poker hand contains five cards dealt from a deck of 52. How many distinct poker hands can be dealt containing:
a) two pairs (for example 2 kings, 2 aces, and a 3)
b) a flush (five cards in a given suit)
c) a straight flush (any five in sequence in a given suit, but not including ten, jack, queen, king, ace)
d) a royal flush (ten, jack, queen, king, ace in a single suit)

The Attempt at a Solution



Essentially, I am asked to form distinct 5 tuples with certain criteria.

a) I've made a tree. Please tell me if there is a simpler way. Each (dot) on the tree tells you how many choices you can make at that given point. Whenever the tree branches, it goes into the various choices you can make.

For the other solutions also, I've made similar trees, but I feel this a long way. Does anyone have any other shorter methods?
 

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For a), simplify the problem first, then use the fundamental principles of counting. How many hands are there with two kings? How many with two like cards of any type?
 
There are 4 choices for the first king and 3 for the second. Totally 12 choices for each pair. Right? And since there are 13 types of cards, I can form 13.12 pairs of cards. Is this correct? For forming a second pair, Now that one has gone, we have 12 types unused and one pair that has been used. So altogether we have 12.12 + 2 ways of forming the second pair. Adding this to the old amount, we have 25.12 + 2 ways of forming the hand. Is this correct?
 
Can anyone assist please?
 

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