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A multi-set is an unordered collection of elements where elements may repeat any number of times. The size of a multi-set is the number of elements in it, counting repetitions.

THEOREM: The number of k-element multi-sets whose elements all belong to [n] is C(n+k-1,k)

*where [n] is the number of elements in the set and k is the size of multi-set to be formed.

• • • • •

Given [n]=3 and k=5

we get, C(3+5-1,5) = 21.

Thus, the number of multi-sets possible = 21


Alternatively, you can assume the number of times an element added from Y to the multi-set be represented as a,b,c.

then number of ways to form multi-set is number of solutions to the equation a+b+c = 5  (where 0<=a<=5,0<=b<=5,0<=c<=5).

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