Its a online math homework question i have. the answer i got was 47281. but the computer says its wrong. answers other ppl gave me were 302 squared or 91204, i also got 90902, and the computer said those were wrong too.
if you have any other suggestions please help out. Thanx
2006-11-05 12:19:14 · 12 answers · asked by yardvybez 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
The number of handshakes is 302C2, i.e. (302)(301)/2 = 45451.
You're essentially looking for the total number of pairs of people in the group. With your answer of 90902, I suspect that you were on the right track.
So to find the number of pairs, you have 302 choices for the first and then 301 choices for the second, making 90902 possibilities. We have to cut that in half because this is counting 'pick person A then pick person B' and 'pick person B then pick person A' as two distinct choices, but this is really just two ways of looking at the same handshake. Cheers!
2006-11-05 12:25:32 · answer #1 · answered by bag o' hot air 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think it would be 302*301 (because each of the 302 people shake 301 hands) = 90,902, but you say that's wrong. Hmmm. I'm not sure what other way to solve this, then, because 302*301 feels like the right answer to me.
EDITED TO ADD: Looking over the other answers, I see that Yan is right! The answer is 301+300+299+...+1 = (301)(302)/2 = 45,451.
2006-11-05 12:20:54 · answer #2 · answered by dualspace 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the first person must shake hands with one 301 people the next person 300 people and so on. Which is the same as 1+2+3+...+301. then if you imagine paring 1+10=11 and 2+9 you get 11 3+8=11 and so on for 10/2 times or 5 times. If you generalize this you get (301/2)*(301+1)=45451
2006-11-05 12:26:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
302+301+300+299 and so on till you get to the number 2 and you should be done and have the answer.
2006-11-05 12:41:08 · answer #4 · answered by God R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if 1 person shook hands with everyone, they would shake hands with 301 people. Then the second person would shake hands with 301 people also, but he already shook with the first person, so really it only adds 300 shakes to the total. Then the third person already shook hands with person 1 and 2, so he only needs to shake hands with 299 more people. Hopefully you see a pattern and need no further assistance.
2006-11-05 12:24:02 · answer #5 · answered by Yan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The answer is just the combination of 302 taken 2 a time.
therefore
302C2 = 45,451
I'm sure
2006-11-05 12:22:38 · answer #6 · answered by bhen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
301+300+299+.....=302*303=2=45753
2006-11-05 12:26:14 · answer #7 · answered by yupchagee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Edit: Wait, ignore my last answer. The real answer is 45451, because the first handshake counts for both people, so the second person only has 300 hands left. Once he shakes hands with the third guy, the third guy only has 299 hands left.
2006-11-05 12:22:36 · answer #8 · answered by disgracedfish 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the answer is 91204 because 302 times 302. its that easy im a math major
2006-11-05 12:23:49 · answer #9 · answered by Tazz Man 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
nCr = (n!)/(r!(n - r)!)
302C2 = (302!)/(2!(302 - 2)!)
302C2 = (302!)/(2 * 300!)
302C2 = 45451
ANS : 45451 different handshakes.
2006-11-05 14:18:43 · answer #10 · answered by Sherman81 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋