Last visit was: 10 Jul 2025, 01:27 It is currently 10 Jul 2025, 01:27
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 102,612
Own Kudos:
739,974
 [4]
Given Kudos: 98,068
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 102,612
Kudos: 739,974
 [4]
Kudos
Add Kudos
4
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 102,612
Own Kudos:
739,974
 [1]
Given Kudos: 98,068
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 102,612
Kudos: 739,974
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
abhilash53
Joined: 05 Jul 2016
Last visit: 05 Apr 2018
Posts: 3
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
aparajita123
Joined: 13 Feb 2016
Last visit: 09 Jun 2017
Posts: 21
Own Kudos:
3
 [3]
Given Kudos: 36
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V40
GPA: 4
Products:
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V40
Posts: 21
Kudos: 3
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
abhilash53
Can this problem be solved using the combinations formula?

well try this

to get 5 we have two combination of 3 integers

1- 1,2,2
2- 1,1,3

we can arrange option 1 - 1,2,2 in 3!/2! ways = 3
same way for option 2 - 1,1,3 in 3!/2! ways = 3

3+3 = 6

( 3! => because the set consists of 3 numbers ,,, 2! because two of the 3 numbers are identical)
avatar
lillianmbula
Joined: 08 Feb 2016
Last visit: 03 Mar 2021
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
10
 [1]
Given Kudos: 573
Concentration: Finance, General Management
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel how did you come to that conclusion? I thought the x and y and z have to be different numbers?
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 102,612
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 98,068
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 102,612
Kudos: 739,974
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
lillianmbula
Bunuel how did you come to that conclusion? I thought the x and y and z have to be different numbers?

Unless it is explicitly stated otherwise, different variables CAN represent the same number.
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 102,612
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 98,068
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 102,612
Kudos: 739,974
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I have edited the question and the solution by adding more details to enhance its clarity. I hope it is now easier to understand.
User avatar
Shaurs
Joined: 26 Jun 2022
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 67
Products:
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I don’t quite agree with the solution. why is ( 0, 2 , 3 ) and ( 0, 1 , 4 ) not considered ? If they are not ordered triplets then why ( 1, 1, 3 ) is considered as a ordered triplet
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 10 July 2025
Posts: 102,612
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 98,068
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 102,612
Kudos: 739,974
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Shaurs
I don’t quite agree with the solution. why is ( 0, 2 , 3 ) and ( 0, 1 , 4 ) not considered ? If they are not ordered triplets then why ( 1, 1, 3 ) is considered as a ordered triplet

Check the highlighted part in the question:

If \(x\), \(y\), and \(z\) are positive integers, how many different ordered triplets \((x, y, z)\) are possible such that \(x + y + z = 5\)?

0 is not a positive number.
Moderators:
Math Expert
102612 posts
Founder
41079 posts