# How many four-digit numbers contain only the digits 1 and 2 and each of them at least once? [closed]

Question: How many four-digit numbers contain only the digits 1 and 2 and each of them at least once?

I have tried to do this question by listing all the possible values and have come to answer of 14. So, I was wondering whether there is a more efficient method instead of listing all the possible values.

Thank you.

## closed as off-topic by Claude Leibovici, Lord_Farin, zarathustra, Daniel W. Farlow, JohannaApr 12 '15 at 14:19

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• There are $2^4$ total 4-digit sequences containing only 1s or 2s (for each digit you have two choices). 2 of them are only 1's or only 2's. So subtract them off – David Peterson Apr 12 '15 at 6:01
• As a rule of thumb, when a question has an accepted answer 22 minutes after it was asked... – Did Apr 12 '15 at 7:32
• I'm voting to close this question, because unless it is reworded to apply to the general situation, it is not going to be of future relevance to anyone. – Lord_Farin Apr 12 '15 at 9:38

It's $2^4-2 = 14$. The first term indicates the way of choosing four independent digits, each one having two possibilities (being either $1$ or $2$); the $-2$ takes out $1111$ and $2222$.
The number of 4-digit numbers with only digits $1$ and $2$ is $2^4=16$, and 2 of them are $1111$ and $2222$, which should be excluded.
• I suppose. If you have $n$ choices to make, and each one has $k$ possibilities, then there are $k$ ways to make the first choice, $k$ ways to make the second choice, etc. If they're all independent (as they are in this case), the number of ways to make all $n$ choices is $k$ times $k$ times ... $k$ ($n$ times), or $k^n$. – Brian Tung Apr 12 '15 at 6:13