k balls in N cells, one ball per cell. Then repeat the process n times.

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The question is the distribution of the number of empty cells.

Imagine to have $N$ cells, and I have $k$ balls to distribute randomly (uniform) among $N$ cells so that no more than 1 ball can occupy the cell. where $k\leq N$.

Then we repeat the same procedure $n$-times.

Now the other balls of different "types" can go in the cells where other-type of balls are.

After the complete process:

  • What is the probability that a randomly chosen cell is empty?
  • The expected number of empty cell?
  • What changes if I remove the condition of only one ball per "type"?

___________ Sketch of solution _________

the probability that each of n specified cells will be occupied is ${{N}\choose{k}}^{-1}$, and there are ${{N}\choose{k}}^n$ random allocations of $kn$ balls among the $N$ cells.