# How many different necklaces can be formed with $6$ white and $5$ red beads?

How many different necklaces can be formed with $6$ white and $5$ red beads?

Since total number of beads is $11$ according to me it should be $\dfrac{11!}{6!5!}$ but correct answer is $21$. How does that come?

• since the necklace is "circular" there are many repeated similar combinations in $\dfrac{11!}{6!5!}$ – Dylan Zammit Mar 14 '18 at 7:19
• By my reckoning, the answer is $26$. – Lord Shark the Unknown Mar 14 '18 at 8:54
• @LordSharktheUnknown I get $26$ for a bracelet, which is invariant under both rotation and reflection. However, by convention, necklaces are only invariant under rotation. – N. F. Taussig Mar 14 '18 at 13:02
• @N.F.Taussig Then in that case, the answer is 42. – Lord Shark the Unknown Mar 14 '18 at 13:12

First consider $$\dfrac{11!}{5!6!}$$ as you have done. Now since the necklace is "circular" you must divide by the number of beads to remove the repeated arrangements, that is:$$\dfrac{11!}{5!6!11}$$
Also, the necklace can be flipped over, thus twice as many combinations had been counted so far, so you must divide by 2. That is:$$\dfrac{11!}{5!\cdot6!\cdot11 \cdot 2}=21$$