Solution 1 (Clever Stars and Bars Manipulation)
We want x1+x2+x3+x4=98. This seems like it can be solved with stars and bars, however note that the quadruples all need to be odd. This motivates us to set xi=2yi+1, as for all integers yi, 2yi+1 will be odd. Substituting we get
2y1+2y2+2y3+2y4+4=98⟹y1+y2+y3+y4=47
Note that this is an algebraic bijection, we have simplified the problem and essentially removed the odd condition, so now we can finish with plain stars as bars, which gives us n=(350). Computing this and dividing by 100 gives us an answer of 196. ~smartguy888
Solution 2
Define xi=2yi−1. Then 2(∑i=14yi)−4=98, so ∑i=14yi=51.
So we want to find four natural numbers that sum up to 51; we can imagine this as trying to split up 51 on the number line into 4 ranges. This is equivalent to trying to place 3 markers on the numbers 1 through 50; thus the answer is n=(350)=3∗250∗49∗48=19600, and 100n=196.
Solution 3
Another way we can approach this problem is by imagining a line of 98 stones. We want to place the stones into 4 boxes so that each box has an odd number of stones. We then proceed by placing one stone in each box to begin with, ensuring that we have a positive number in every box. Now we have 94 stones left. Because we want an odd number in each box, we pair the stones, creating 47 sets of 2. Every time we add a pair to one of the boxes, the number of stones in the box remains odd, because (an odd #) + (an even #) = (an odd #).
Our problem can now be restated: how many ways are there to partition a line of 47 stones? We can easily solve this by using 3 sticks to separate the stones into 4 groups, and this is the same as arranging a line of 3 sticks and 47 stones.
47!⋅3!50!=19600
3∗250∗49∗48=19600
Our answer is therefore 10019600=196
Solution 4
Let x=a+b and y=c+d. Then x+y=98, where x,y are positive even integers ranging from 2−98.
-When (x,y)=(2,96), (a,b)=(1,1) and (c,d)=(1,95),(3,93),...,(95,1). This accounts for 48 solutions.
-When (x,y)=(4,94), (a,b)=(1,3),(3,1) and (c,d)=(1,93),(3,91),...,(93,1). This accounts for 94 solutions.
We quickly see that the total number of acceptable ordered pairs (a,b,c,d) is:
=1⋅48+2⋅47+3⋅46+...+48⋅1=(24.5−23.5)(24.5+23.5)+(24.5−22.5)(24.5+22.5)+...+(24.5+23.5)(24.5−23.5)=48(24.5)2−2(0.52+1.52+...+23.52)=28812−212+32+...+472=28812−212+22+...+472−4(12+22+...+232)=28812−2647(47+1)(2(47)+1)−64(23)(23+1)(2(23)+1)=19600
Therefore, 100n=10019600=196.
(This solution uses the sum of squares identity to calculate 12+22+...+472 and 12+22+...+232.)
-baker77
Solution 5
We write the generating functions for each of the terms, and obtain (x+x3+x5⋯)4 as the generating function for the sum of the 4 numbers. We seek the x98 coefficient, or the x94 coefficient in (1+x2+x4...)4. Now we simplify this as (1−x21)4=(33)+(34)x2+(35)x4⋯ and in general we want that the coefficient of x2k is (3k+3). We see the x94 coefficient so we let k=47 and so the coefficient is (350)=19600 in which 100n=196.