Number of ways in which balls are distributed

Question

In how many ways can we distribute 5 different balls into 4 different boxes, given that order does not matter inside the boxes and empty boxes are not allowed?

My attempt

First I chose $4$ balls out of $5$ and arranged them for the $4$ boxes: $\binom 54 \times 4!.$

Then for the remaining ball I can choose any of the $4$ boxes. Multiplying them, we get $480$, which is double the answer given as correct answer. Why I am wrong? And how can I solve the problem if the order matters inside the boxes?

Answer 1

With your attempt you count a disposition more than once.

Named $A,B,C,D$ the boxes and $a,b,c,d,e$ the balls you count (for example) two times the combination: $a,e\in A$, $b\in B$, $c\in C$, $d\in D$.

The first time you choose the set $\{a,b,c,d\}$, put $a\in A, b\in B, c\in C, d\in D$, then you put $e\in A$;

The second time you chose the set $\{e,b,c,d\}$, put $e\in A, b\in B, c\in C, d\in D$, then you put $a\in A$.

Since I do not see how to fix this count, I suggest another approach:

First, choose the box which will contain $2$ balls in $\binom{4}{1}$, second choose the two balls you will put in the box chosen in $\binom{5}{2}$, then choose how to put the last three balls in last three boxes in $3!$.

So the answer should be: $$\binom{4}{1} \cdot \binom{5}{2} \cdot 3! = 240$$

Answer 2

For any allowed distribution we have just one box with $2$ balls and the others with $1$ ball each. We choose such box in $4$ ways. Now multiply such number by the number of permutations of the $5$ balls, i.e. $5!$ and finally divide the result by $2$ because in the box with two balls order does not matter. Hence the result is $$\frac{4\cdot 5!}{2}=240.$$

Answer 3

Using inclusion-exclusion principle,

$4^5 - ^4C_1 3^5 + ^4C_2 2^5 - ^4C_3 1^5$

Subtract cases when all 5 objects go in 3 boxes (exclusion) then include when objects go in 2 boxes, because they are subtracted more than the number of times such case comes. Then again exclude when all objects go in one box.

Answer 4

Two methods:

Method 1: There is only one case possible 2,1,1,1

So, first we will go with unnamed distribution of 5 distinct things and then we will arrange them in 4 places.

$$\frac{5!}{(2!)(1!)^3(3!)}4!= 240$$

Method 2:

Distribution of identical objects then arranging them. Solve x+y=5 and arrange the balls in the boxes

$$=C(_{3-1}^{5-1})\frac{5!}{2!}=240$$