Solution: We are given a multiset of 10 components: 3 identical sensors (S), 5 identical drones (D), and 2 identical robotic arms (R). The number of distinct activation sequences is the number of distinct permutations of a multiset. The total number of sequences is given by the multinomial coefficient:

Sat, 02 May 2026 23:02:23 +0000

Title: Counting Distinct Activation Sequences of a Multiset Composed of Sensors, Drones, and Robotic Arms When designing automation systems or simulating distributed device interactions, understanding the number of unique activation sequences is crucial—especially when dealing with identical or repeated components. In this case, we are given a multiset of 10 distinct components: 3 identical sensors (S), 5 identical drones (D), and 2 identical robotic arms (R). The goal is to determine how many unique ways these components can be activated, accounting for the repetitions. This problem falls under combinatorics, specifically the calculation of permutations of a multiset. Unlike ordinary permutations where all elements are distinct, a multiset contains repeated items, and swapping identical elements produces indistinguishable arrangements. The total number of distinct activation sequences is computed using the multinomial coefficient. ---