Messages are conveyed by arranging four white, one blue, and three red flags on a pole. Flags of the same color are alike. If a message is trasmitted by the order in which the colours are arranged, the total number of messages that can be transmitted if exactly six flags are used is
Case | Flags | No. of signals |
4 alike and 2 others alike | 4 white and 2 red | 6!4!2!=15 |
4 alike and 2 others different | 4 white, 1 red and 1 blue | 6!4!=30 |
3 alike and 3 other alike | 3 white, 3 red | 6!3!3!=20 |
3 alike and 2 other alike and 1 different | 3 white, 1 blue, 2 red or 3 red, 1 blue, 2 white | 2C1×6!3!2!=120 |
Total | 185 |