Plain simple combinatorics formula vs. using polynomials for counting the number of balls which can be picked from a given set

combinationscombinatoricsgenerating-functionspolynomials

I am really confused by the usage of polynomials for counting problem, for instance :

Number of ways of picking $5$ balls from $5$ red, $5$ green, $5$ blue balls.

Condition : At least one of each colour has to be picked.

My approach for the above problem was quite simple, i.e. given the fact that at least one ball for each colour should be picked, we are left with $2$ more balls to be picked of any colour, so that would be: $${15-3\choose 2} = {12\choose 2} = 66$$

But, the source from where I am learning this course on Combinatorics had a different approach, here's a screenshot from the video where the instructor solved the given problem with the help of Polynomials, i.e. getting the coefficient of $x^5$ in the expansion of the given polynomial:

enter image description here

Clearly the solution I ended up with and the solution by the instructor are completely different. I have understood the solution of the instructor, but what I am still confused with is that I am not unable to understand where I want wrong with my approach?

Here is the link to the video

Best Answer

When dealing with counting problems you have to be very careful to use the correct construct; as was pointed out in a comment, using binomial coefficients implicitly assumes that each ball also has a number written on it to make it distinct from the others (in particular, distinct from the others of the same color), which is not what we are actually trying to count; you will find vastly over-inflated numbers by using binomial coefficients.

So what construct can you use for this problem? The best place to start is the Twelvefold way. Also in the comments is the correct interpretation of your problem (stars and bars), which you can find in the linked article (though there is difficulty with extremal cases of $n=0$).