Counting Lock-Screen Patterns

8/10combinatoricsCountingCaseworkSymmetry

Problem

An Android-style unlock pattern connects some of 99 points arranged in a 3×33\times 3 grid, subject to these rules: choose a starting point, then move the finger through a sequence of points (at least 44 points in all); no point may be visited more than once; and the finger may not skip over an unvisited point (if the straight segment between two consecutive chosen points passes through another grid point, that point must already have been visited). Find the total number of valid patterns.

Answer

Solution

Difficulty8/10
Topicscombinatorics, Counting, Casework, Symmetry

Whiteboard

Your sketch is saved only in this browser. To share it, export your drawing as an image (whiteboard menu → Export as → PNG), then upload that image in the comments below.

Discussion

Ask questions, share alternate solutions, and use LaTeX freely.

0 comments
Log in to join the discussion.

No comments yet.