# How many 10-digit decimal sequences (using $0, 1, 2, . . . , 9$) are there in which digits $3, 4, 5, 6$ all appear?

So I was given this question. How many $10-$digit decimal sequences (using $0, 1, 2, . . . , 9$) are there in which digits $3, 4, 5, 6$ all appear?

My solution below (not sure if correct)

Let $A_i$ = set of sequences of $n$ digits where $i$ does not appear. The number of $n$ digit decimal sequences = the total number of decimal sequences minus those that do not have either $3, 4, 5,$ or $6$. That is we wish to calculate $10^n - |A_1 \cup A_2 \cup A_3 \cup A_4| = 10^n - |A_1| − |A_2| − |A_3| - |A_4| + |A_1 \cap A_2| + |A_1 \cap A_3| + |A_2 \cap A_3| + |A_1 \cap A_4| + |A_2 \cap A_4| + |A_3 \cap A_4| − |A_1 \cap A_2 \cap A_3 \cap A_4|$ where $10^n$ represents the number of sequences of n digits and $|A_1 \cup A_2 \cup A_3 \cup A_4|$ represents the number of n digit sequences that either do not have a $3$ or a $4$ or a $5$ or a $6$. $|A_i| = 9^n, |A_i \cap A_j | = 8^n$ and $|A_1 \cap A_2 \cap A_3 \cap A_4| = 7^n$. The answer is then $10^n − 4 \cdot 9^n + 4 · 8^n − 7^n$

Is this correct?

• You originally stated the problem as being $10$-digit, but later refer to $n$ digits. You also use the notation $A_1, A_2, A_3, A_4$ which by your definitions above should denote the sets "does not have a $1$", "does not have a $2$", etc while your problem was referring to "has a 3", "has a 4", "has a 5" etc... Next, you seem to have gone from single sets to intersection of two sets skipping straight to intersection of four sets. What about intersection of three sets? You missed that. – JMoravitz Feb 10 '16 at 4:23

Numbers with none of 3,4,5 have been subtracted three times in $|A_1|,|A_2|,|A_3|$, added back in three times in $|A_1\cap A_2|,|A_1\cap A_3|,|A_2\cap A_3|$, so must be subtracted again in $|A_1\cap A_2\cap A_3|$
Lastly, $|A_1\cap A_2\cap A_3\cap A_4|$ must be added back in.
• don't you add $|A_1|, |A_2|, |A_3|, |A_4|$ and subtract – Zero Feb 10 '16 at 4:27