NeuroEducation

The Ant Avoids K, L and M

Difficulty: Hard · Topics: Discrete Mathematics, Combinations, Paths

Square ABCD is divided into 16 equal squares. An ant starts at A and, moving only right or up along the lines, walks to C.

graph "x":[-0.7,4.7],"y":[-0.7,4.7],"axes":false,"ink":true,"label":"A 4 by 4 grid from A (bottom left) to C (top right) with marked points K, L, M on the diagonal","items":["type":"line","from":[0,0],"to":[4,0],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[0,1],"to":[4,1],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[0,2],"to":[4,2],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[0,3],"to":[4,3],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[0,4],"to":[4,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[0,0],"to":[0,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[1,0],"to":[1,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[2,0],"to":[2,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[3,0],"to":[3,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"line","from":[4,0],"to":[4,4],"ink":true,"width":1.2,"type":"point","at":[0,0],"label":"A","anchor":"sw","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[4,0],"label":"B","anchor":"se","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[4,4],"label":"C","anchor":"ne","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[0,4],"label":"D","anchor":"nw","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[1,1],"label":"K","anchor":"nw","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[2,2],"label":"L","anchor":"nw","ink":true,"type":"point","at":[3,3],"label":"M","anchor":"nw","ink":true]

In how many ways can it get from A to C without passing through K, L or M?