You have eleven different books: 4 blue, 2 red, and 5 green. You want to put these books together on a shelf. In how many ways can this be done if the like colors must remain together?

Question

You have eleven different books: 4 blue, 2 red, and 5 green.  You want to put these books together on a shelf.  In how many ways can this be done if the like colors must remain together?

anonymous · Answer

We're gonna arrange these books from left to right on a shelf

________   __________  __________
 left             center       right
How many choices do we have for the color books we shall put on the left?

anonymous · Answer

3

anonymous · Answer

Yes. And for each choice we make on the left...how many choices do we have for the center?

anonymous · Answer

2

amistre64 · Answer

how many ways can we sort the 3 colors, if order matters?

anonymous · Answer

6?

amistre64 · Answer

correct

amistre64 · Answer

how many ways can we order the 4 blue books?

how many ways can we order the 2 red books?

how many ways can we order the 5 green books?

anonymous · Answer

24?
2?
120?

amistre64 · Answer

very good, so we are faced with this setup
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