On the trip home from the meeting where this AMC$ 10$ was constructed, the Contest Chair noted that his airport parking receipt had digits of the form $ bbcac$, where $ 0 \le a < b < c \le 9$, and $ b$ was the average of $ a$ and $ c$. How many different five-digit numbers satisfy all these properties?

$ \textbf{(A)}\ 12\qquad 
\textbf{(B)}\ 16\qquad 
\textbf{(C)}\ 18\qquad 
\textbf{(D)}\ 20\qquad 
\textbf{(E)}\ 24$
1. Given the five-digit number is of the form \( bbcac \), where \( 0 \le a < b < c \le 9 \) and \( b \) is the average of \( a \) and \( c \). This implies:
   \[
   b = \frac{a + c}{2}
   \]
   Since \( b \) must be an integer, \( a + c \) must be even, meaning \( a \) and \( c \) must have the same parity (both even or both odd).

2. We will first consider the case where \( a \) and \( c \) are both even. The possible values for \( a \) and \( c \) are:
   \[
   a, c \in \{0, 2, 4, 6, 8\}
   \]
   We need to count the pairs \((a, c)\) such that \( a < c \).

3. List the pairs \((a, c)\) for even values:
   - \( a = 0 \): \( c = 2, 4, 6, 8 \) (4 pairs)
   - \( a = 2 \): \( c = 4, 6, 8 \) (3 pairs)
   - \( a = 4 \): \( c = 6, 8 \) (2 pairs)
   - \( a = 6 \): \( c = 8 \) (1 pair)

   Total pairs for even \( a \) and \( c \):
   \[
   4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10
   \]

4. Now consider the case where \( a \) and \( c \) are both odd. The possible values for \( a \) and \( c \) are:
   \[
   a, c \in \{1, 3, 5, 7, 9\}
   \]
   We need to count the pairs \((a, c)\) such that \( a < c \).

5. List the pairs \((a, c)\) for odd values:
   - \( a = 1 \): \( c = 3, 5, 7, 9 \) (4 pairs)
   - \( a = 3 \): \( c = 5, 7, 9 \) (3 pairs)
   - \( a = 5 \): \( c = 7, 9 \) (2 pairs)
   - \( a = 7 \): \( c = 9 \) (1 pair)

   Total pairs for odd \( a \) and \( c \):
   \[
   4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10
   \]

6. Adding the total number of pairs for both even and odd cases:
   \[
   10 + 10 = 20
   \]

Thus, the number of different five-digit numbers that satisfy all the given properties is \( \boxed{20} \).