What Is the Probability of Choosing a Hexadecimal Number with Distinct Digits?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the probability of selecting a four-digit hexadecimal number with distinct digits using the hexadecimal digits 1, 5, 6, 9, A, and C. For part (a), the total number of four-digit hexadecimal numbers with repetition allowed is calculated as 6^4, resulting in 1296 combinations. In part (b), the number of four-digit hexadecimal numbers with distinct digits is determined using the formula 6!/(6-4)!, yielding 360 combinations. For part (c), the correct approach involves recognizing that there are 16 possible hexadecimal digits (0-F), leading to a total of 15^4 for combinations with repetition and 16!/(16-4)! for distinct digits, ultimately calculating the probability as 32760/50625.

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1. Homework Statement


1.(a) How many 4 digit hexadecimal numbers can be formed using the hexadecimal digits 1. 5, 6, 9, A, C?(Repetition is allowed)

(b) How many four digit hexadecimal numbers with distinct digits can be formed using the hexadecimal digits above?

(c) What is the probability that a randomly chosen four digit hexadecimal number will have distinct digit?

Homework Equations


The number of ways of choosing r times from an n set is n!/(n-r)!


The Attempt at a Solution



For (a), since repetition is allowed, I did 6^4= 1296
For (b), since repetition is not allowed, I did 6!/(6-4)! = 6*5*4*3= 360

Now, (c) is where I start to run into problems.

since it no longer references the above set, then I am assuming that you should take all the possible Hex digits into consideration. Therefore there are 15 possible digits in the set.

Would you do, 15^4=50625 to get the total number of combination's possible (including repetitions) and then find out 15!/(15-4)! = 32760 to find out the possible combinations with distinct digits.

Therefore ending up with 32760/50625?

Please inform me if this is the correct answer,

Thank you in advance.
 
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Your method is correct, but there are 16 possible digits, 0 through F.
 

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