1995 Paper 2 Q2

Year: 1995
Paper: 2
Question Number: 2

Course: LFM Pure
Section: Proof by induction

Difficulty: 1600.0 Banger: 1516.0

Problem

I have \(n\) fence posts placed in a line and, as part of my spouse's birthday celebrations, I wish to paint them using three different colours red, white and blue in such a way that no adjacent fence posts have the same colours. (This allows the possibility of using fewer than three colours as well as exactly three.) Let \(r_{n}\) be the number of ways (possibly zero) that I can paint them if I paint the first and the last post red and let \(s_{n}\) be the number of ways that I can paint them if I paint the first post red but the last post either of the other two colours. Explain why \(r_{n+1}=s_{n}\) and find \(r_{n}+s_{n}.\) Hence find the value of \(r_{n+1}+r_{n}\) for all \(n\geqslant1.\) Prove, by induction, that \[ r_{n}=\frac{2^{n-1}+2(-1)^{n-1}}{3}. \] Find the number of ways of painting \(n\) fence posts (where \(n\geqslant3\)) placed in a circle using three different colours in such a way that no adjacent fence posts have the same colours.

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Rating Information

Difficulty Rating: 1600.0

Difficulty Comparisons: 0

Banger Rating: 1516.0

Banger Comparisons: 1

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Problem source
I have $n$ fence posts placed in a line and, as part of my spouse's
birthday celebrations, I wish to paint them using three different
colours red, white and blue in such a way that no adjacent fence posts
have the same colours. (This allows the possibility of using fewer
than three colours as well as exactly three.) Let $r_{n}$ be the
number of ways (possibly zero) that I can paint them if I paint the
first and the last post red and let $s_{n}$ be the number of ways
that I can paint them if I paint the first post red but the last post
either of the other two colours. Explain why $r_{n+1}=s_{n}$ and
find $r_{n}+s_{n}.$ Hence find the value of $r_{n+1}+r_{n}$ for
all $n\geqslant1.$ 

Prove, by induction, that 
\[
r_{n}=\frac{2^{n-1}+2(-1)^{n-1}}{3}.
\]
Find the number of ways of painting $n$ fence posts (where $n\geqslant3$)
placed in a circle using three different colours in such a way that
no adjacent fence posts have the same colours.