Problem 51 - Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers

Question

A Web ad can be designed from four different colors, three font types, five font sizes, three images, and five text phrases. How many different designs are possible?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

There are 900 different web ad designs possible.

Step 1: Identify the Elements

First, let's identify the different elements that can be chosen to design the web ad. We have the following options: 4 colors, 3 font types, 5 font sizes, 3 images, and 5 text phrases.

Step 2: Calculate the Total Combinations

To find the total number of different designs possible, we need to multiply the number of choices for each element together. This is because each choice of one element can be combined with each choice of all other elements. The formula for the total number of combinations is:\[ 4 \times 3 \times 5 \times 3 \times 5 \]

Step 3: Perform the Multiplication

Now, perform the multiplication step-by-step:1. Multiply the number of colors by font types: \[ 4 \times 3 = 12 \]2. Multiply the result by the number of font sizes: \[ 12 \times 5 = 60 \]3. Multiply the result by the number of images: \[ 60 \times 3 = 180 \]4. Finally, multiply the result by the number of text phrases: \[ 180 \times 5 = 900 \]

Step 4: Conclusion

Therefore, the total number of different web ad designs possible is 900.

Key Concepts

Counting Principles

Counting principles are the foundation of combinatorics, which is the branch of mathematics focused on counting, arranging, and analyzing possible configurations of objects. One of the simplest counting principles is the **Addition Principle**, which states that if one event can occur in "m" ways and another event in "n" ways, and these events cannot happen at the same time, the total number of ways the events can occur is "m + n". For example, if you have 3 different shirts to wear today or 2 different pairs of pants, and you need to choose one of them, then you have 3 + 2 = 5 choices.
However, when the focus is on combining different events together, the **Multiplication Principle** is applied. This principle states that if an event can occur in "m" ways and is followed by another event that can occur in "n" ways, the total number of ways both events can occur sequentially is "m × n".
This principle is the key player in solving the web ad design problem, where different elements are combined to create various designs. The ability to quickly multiply the number of choices for each ad element results in determining how many unique combinations, or different web ads, can be created.

Multiplication Rule

The Multiplication Rule is central to solving problems where you need to find the total number of outcomes when events happen in sequence. It is often applied when each event is independent of others, meaning each choice does not limit or alter subsequent choices. In the context of the web ad design exercise, every element (color, font type, font size, image, and text phrase) is chosen independently of others.
To apply the Multiplication Rule here, you multiply the number of possible choices for each element. For instance:

• 4 choices of colors
• 3 choices of font types
• 5 choices of font sizes
• 3 choices of images
• 5 choices of text phrases

By multiplying these separate options (\(4 \times 3 \times 5 \times 3 \times 5\)), you find the total number of unique web ad designs possible, which we calculated earlier to be 900. This does not just illustrate how multiplicative counting works; it also demonstrates bright applications of the rule in planning and decision-making situations involving multiple categories.

Combinations

Combinations focus on selecting items from a group, where the order of selection does not matter. This distinguishes them from permutations, where order does matter. The formula for calculating combinations is:\[C(n, r) = \frac{n!}{r! (n - r)!}\]Where "n" is the total number of items to choose from, and "r" is the number of items to select.
Unlike the example exercise with web ads, where all components are combined to make each design in a specific order and the results of the combination mattered, combinations are used when the arrangement of the selected elements is irrelevant. For example, picking three friends to join for a day out from a group of five is a problem of combinations because the order in which you choose the friends does not alter the group outcome.
Although the web ad problem primarily uses the Multiplication Rule, understanding combinations is crucial in contexts where different elements are combined without concern for sequence, adding another layer to the counting strategies in combinatorics.