Lord of the Ring
Source: 2016 AIME II #12
March 17, 2016
AMCAIMEAIME IILotRogre
Problem Statement
The figure below shows a ring made of six small sections which you are to paint on a wall. You have four paint colors available and will paint each of the six sections a solid color. Find the number of ways you can choose to paint each of the six sections if no two adjacent section can be painted with the same color.[asy]
size(3cm);
draw(unitcircle);
draw(scale(0.6)*unitcircle);
for(int i = 0; i < 6; ++i){
draw(dir(60*i)--0.6*dir(60*i));
}
[/asy]