Hi All,

There are a couple of ways that you can approach this question….

Since the answers are relatively small, there are at least 6 ways to get from X to Y, but no more than 16 ways to get from X to Y. In a pinch, you could draw pictures and physically find all of the possibilities.

If you're more interested in a "math" approach, you'll see that to get from X to Y you'll need to go 3 blocks "up" and 2 blocks "over" no matter how you get from X to Y.

Since you have to make 5 "moves" and 3 of them have to be "up", you have a Combination Formula situation….In other words…

5c3

5!/[3!2!] = 10

You COULD also say that to make 5 "moves" and 2 of them have to be "over", you could also use the combination formula in this way…

5c2

5!/[2!3!] = 10

It's the same answer because 5c3 is the same as 5c2.

Final Answer:

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Bunuel why do you assume that nn order the length to be minimum Pat should only go UP and RIGHT: namely thrice UP and twice RIGHT.

going three times up and two times left means we have to go throgh five lines of the same length right ? if so, then all routes are of equal length should we go at girst left than right , or left...we still cross the same number of of lines of identical length (5 lines and all are of the same length )

please proof that i am wrong