How many ways can 8 different items be distributed among 2 gropus with different size

combinationspermutations

Suppose we have 8 different objects $\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{A_1}}&{{A_2}}&{{B_1}}&{{B_2}}
\end{array}}&{{C_1}}&{{C_2}}&{{D_1}}
\end{array}}&{{D_2}}
\end{array}$
.
What are the number of ways we can arrange these 8 items in 2 groups such that items with index $1$ only appears in each group exactly once? For example $$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{D_2}}&{{C_1}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 1}}}}&{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{A_2}}&{{A_1}}&{{B_2}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 2}}}}
\end{array}$$

is a correct arrangement, but the following arrangments are not acceptable:

$$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{A_1}}&{{C_1}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 1}}}}&{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{A_2}}&{{A_1}}&{{B_2}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 2}}}}
\end{array}$$

$$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{D_1}}&{{C_1}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 1}}}}&{\underbrace {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{A_2}}&{{A_1}}&{{B_2}}
\end{array}}_{{\rm{Group 2}}}}
\end{array}$$


The number of objects in groups 1 and 2 must be exactly two and three, respectively.

No repetition allowed.

Best Answer

In the following I am assuming that order does not matter, in other words, $$A_1\,\,B_2 = B_2\,\,A_1.$$ For group $1$ we can pick any of the $4$ objects with index $1$ and any of the $4$ objects with index $2$. In total there are $4\cdot4=16$ ways to form a valid group. For group $2$, we must pick one of the remaining $3$ objects with index $1$ and two objects of the remaining $3$ with index $2$. It follows that there are $3\cdot{3\choose2}=3\cdot3=9$ ways to form group $2$. Using the basic principle of counting yields $16\cdot9 =144$ ways of forming the two groups.