The problem is in the title of the question, repeated below:
How many five digit numbers can be formed from the integers 1,2,..,9 with one digit appearing at max thrice?
I have two solutions as below but they give different counts. Does solution 1 counts some numbers multiple times? Or does solution 2 miss to count certain numbers? I am not able to find the reason for the gap between two counts.
Solution 1
It should be the sum of following:
(1) No digit repeating: ${}^9P_5$
(2) One digit repeating twice: $9\times {}^5C_2\times 8\times 7\times 6$
(3) Two digits repeating twice: $9\times 8\times {}^5C_2\times {}^3C_2\times 7$
(4) One repeating thrice and others not repeating: $9\times {}^5C_3\times 8\times 7$
(5) One repeating thrice and other twice: $9\times {}^5C_3\times 8$
Sum of (1) to (5) is $66240$
Solution 2
Total numbers $= 9^5$
Unwanted numbers:
- All same digits = 9 ways (11111,22222... 99999)
- 4 digits same $= 9 \times ({}^5C_4 \times 8)$
For example,
four 1's: ${}^5C_4 \times 8$ ways,
four 2's: again ${}^5C_4 \times 8$ ways
Hence for 9 such cases $9 \times ({}^5C_4 \times 8)$ waysHence Ans $= 9^5 - (72 * {}^5C_4) - 9=49968$