Question:medium

Suppose that a computer program provides a non-negative and integer-valued random solution to the equation \(n_1 + n_2 + n_3 + n_4 = 20\).
Which of the following is the probability that all of \(n_1, n_2, n_3, n_4\) in the provided solution are positive?

Show Hint

Total non-negative solutions use \(\binom{23}{3}\) (stars and bars with 20 items, 4 bins). For all positive, substitute \(m_i = n_i - 1\) and solve \(\sum m_i = 16\), giving \(\binom{19}{3}\).
Updated On: Jul 22, 2026
  • \(\dbinom{19}{3} \Big/ \dbinom{23}{3}\)
  • \(\dbinom{20}{4} \Big/ \dbinom{24}{4}\)
  • \(\dbinom{20}{3} \Big/ \dbinom{23}{3}\)
  • \(\dbinom{19}{4} \Big/ \dbinom{24}{4}\)
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Picture the balls-and-dividers model directly.
Instead of using the algebraic substitution, we can picture the total non-negative case using a row of $20$ identical balls (representing the total sum) plus $3$ dividers, which split the row into $4$ groups, representing $n_1, n_2, n_3, n_4$.
In total we are arranging $20$ balls and $3$ dividers in a row, that is $23$ objects, and we just need to choose which $3$ of the $23$ positions are dividers. This directly gives $\binom{23}{3}$ total arrangements, matching the total sample space.

Step 2: Force each group to be non-empty using the gaps method.
For all four parts to be positive (no group empty), think of the $20$ balls placed in a row first. Between consecutive balls there are $19$ internal gaps (a gap is a place strictly between two balls, not at the two ends).
To split the $20$ balls into $4$ non-empty positive groups, we must place the $3$ dividers into $3$ of these $19$ internal gaps (never at the very ends, and never two dividers in the exact same gap, otherwise some group would be empty).
This gives $\binom{19}{3}$ ways to choose which $3$ of the $19$ gaps get a divider, which is exactly the count of solutions where every $n_i \geq 1$.

Step 3: Form the probability.
\[ P(\text{all positive}) = \frac{\text{favourable arrangements}}{\text{total arrangements}} = \frac{\binom{19}{3}}{\binom{23}{3}} \]

Step 4: Cross check with the substitution method.
This gap-counting picture gives the same $\binom{19}{3}$ and $\binom{23}{3}$ that the standard $m_i = n_i - 1$ substitution gives, which confirms the answer through a different, purely visual argument. \[ \boxed{\dfrac{\binom{19}{3}}{\binom{23}{3}}} \]
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