Question

5 boys (A,B,C,D and E) are standing in a circle. They are practicing to pass a basketball to others. The basketball is hold by A, and A starts to pass it to the other. The one who receives the basketball should immediately pass it to the other. Find the number of ways of passing the basketball if the ball does not go back to A just after the third throw.

Answer 1

@adilalvi

Answer 2

A has 4 choices to pass to one the first throw
now any one of those 4 people can pass back to the 4, here is where cases come in there is a case where its throw back to A or not in 2nd throw, for that throw, if its with a there are 4, but if its not with a then there are only 3 choices