Combinations And Permutations

To have an understanding in combinations and permutations you must first

have a basic understanding in probability.

A probability is a numerical measure of the likelihood of the event.

Probability is established on a scale from 0 to 1. A rare even has a probability
close to 0; a very common event has a probability close to 1.

In order to solve and understand problems pertaining to probability you must

know some vocabulary:
● An experiment, such as rolling a die or tossing a coin, is a set of trials
designed to study a physical occurrence.
● An outcome is any result of a particular experiment. For example, the
possible outcomes for flipping a coin are heads or tails.
● A sample space is a list of all the possible outcomes of an experiment.
● An event is a subset of the sample space. For example, getting heads is an
event.

The probability of an event, E, is represented by P(E). To calculate the

probability of an event, you must find the total number of outcomes n(S), and the
favorable number of outcomes, n(E).

The general equation of the probability of an event is:

P(E) = Number of Favorable Outcomes

Total Number of Outcomes

Example
What is the probability of drawing a spade from a pack of 52 well-shuffled
playing cards?

Solution
The probability of drawing a spade from a pack of 52 well-shuffled playing
cards is; Event (E) = ‘ a spade drawn ’ , the number of outcomes corresponding to
E = 13 (spades) and the total number of outcomes = 52 (cards)
 13 1
— = — = 0.25
52 4

*When there is no possibility for an event to occur, the probability of the event
happening is 0. For example in a bag of red and blue marbles the probability of
picking an orange one is 0. Similarly, when the event is certain to occur, the
probability of that event is 1.*

One more Example:

Suppose we have a jar with 4 red marbles and 6 blue marbles, and we want
to find the probability of drawing a red marble at random. In this case we know
that all outcomes are equally likely: any individual marble has the same chance of
being drawn. What’s the probability of drawing a red marble?

Number of red marbles 4

────────────── = ──
Total marbles in Jar 10

Solution
Since 4/10 reduces to 2/5, the probability of drawing a red marble
expressed as a decimal is 0.4 ; as a percent, 4/10 = 40%. The probability of
picking a blue marble is 6/10, which reduces to 3/5. As a decimal this is 0.6.
 The fundamental Counting Principles.

There are two principles of counting that will enable you to find the number
of outcomes without listing and counting each one.

The Multiplication Principle

If there are n1 ways to choose a first item, n2 ways to choose a second item,
n3 ways to choose a third item, and so on, the the total number of ways to choose
all the items is given by the product
n1 x n2 x n3 x ...

Example
The Shoe store sells 9 different styles of running shoes, each available in 2 colors.
How many combinations of color and style are there?

Choose :
style and color = choices
9 x 2 = 18

The Addition Principle

If one outcome can occur in r ways, and a second mutually exclusive
outcome, can occur in s ways, then there are a total of (r + s) possible outcomes.

You can order one item from a list of 5 hamburgers and 3 pizzas. How many
choices do you have?
Choose:
burger or pizza = choices
5+3=8
 Permutations

Permutation - an arrangement of objects in which order is important

The letters a, b, and c can be arranged in six different orders: abc /acb/ bac /bca
cab/cba Each of these arrangements is called a permutation of the letters a, b, c
Find the number of permutations of the letters p, q, r, and s.
4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24 ways

Factorial (n!) - n! = n (n - 1)(n - 2)...(2)(1)

The number of permutations of n objects is n! (! is the mathematical symbol
for factorial)
Find 5!
5! =
Simplifying of factorials in fractions can make the problem easier:

7! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1
4! 4x3x2x1

=7x6x5
= 210

The number of permutations of n objects taken n at a time is nPn.

n Pn = n !
0! = 1
P
6 6 P = 6! = 720
6 6

The symbol nPr is used to show the total number of n items taken r at a time.

An easier way to think of this is to look at boxes, n item being placed in r boxes.

1 2 3 4 ….. r - Number of Boxes

n n-1 n-2 n-3 n – r + 1 - Number Of Arrangements

The following formula is the general equation to find the permutation:

n Pr = n!
(n-r)!

* Important note: Calculators that have the nPr key are enabled to calculate
permutations. To calculate 8P4, press 8 then the key, then 4. Your answer will be
1680.

Circular Permutation

A circular permutation is the number of different ways you can arrange items in a
circle.
In how many ways can 5 different people be seated around a circular table?
If it were 5 people in a straight line: 5! = 120 arrangements
However, around a circular table the 5 arrangements may look different, but the
relative position of the people has not changed.

The total number of arrangements is:

5! / 5 = 4! = 24

P / n = (n - 1)!
n n

A jeweler has 15 different sized pearls to string on a circular band.

a) In how many ways can this be done?
P / 15 = 14! = 8.71 x 1010
15 15

b) If three of the pearls are identical in size, then what is the total number of
arrangements?
 P / 15x3! 14! / 6 = 1.45 x 1010
15 15

Distinguishable Permutations

If, in a collection of n objects, n1 are alike, n2 are alike of another kind, … ,nk are
alike of a further kind, and
n = n1 + n2 + …..+ nk,
then the number of distinguishable permutations of the n object is
n!
n1!n2!..nk!

An example we could use could be the word MISSISSIPPI. We want to find the
number of distinguishable permutations of the letters.
There are a collection of eleven objects in which four are of one kind (S),
four are of another kind(I), two are a third kind (P), and one is of a fourth kind
(M). Using the equation we can establish the answer to be 34 650.
11!
4!4!2!1! = 34 650

Combinations
Combination –Is a selection in which the order is not important (groupings)
How many groups of three letters are there if choosing from the letters;
 A, B, C, D, E?

There are 5P3 = 5! / (5-3)! = 60 ways to arrange 3 letters. But for each arrangement
of three letters, 6 arrangements are the same group.

For example, arrangements using the letters A B C are ABC, ACB, BAC,
BCA, CAB, and CBA. The number of arrangements is 3! = 6. Note however that
all 6 arrangements are the same group. We must, then, divide the 60 ways to
arrange the letters by 6 or 3! to find the number of groups.

The theorem on combinations states that the number of combinations or r

elements can be obtained from a set of n elements:
nCr = n!
(n-r)! r! 1 < r < n.

Combinations can be used with probability as well as permutations.

If 3 coins were tossed simultaneously and you want to find the number of
possible outcomes. You can look at the sample space: HHH, HHT, HTT, THH,
HTH, THT, TTH, and TTT there are 8 possible outcomes.
To find the probability of tossing three heads you can use the combination formula
and the probability formula.

P (3 heads) = number of favorable outcomes

number of all possible outcomes

P ( 3heads) = 3C3 ← (from the three heads, you choose three)

8 =1
8

Keep in note that if r = n, then the formula for nCr becomes

nCn = n! = n! = 1
(n-n)!n! 0!n!
Practice Problems:
1
From a group of 9 different books, 4 books are to be selected and arranged on a
shelf. How many arrangements are possible?

2
In how many ways can the letters of the word SPECIAL be arranged using:
a) All the letters?
b) Only 4 letters at a time?

3
How many arrangements are possible for four people in a line? There are four
spaces to fill.

How many different combinations are possible if the 5 numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

are grouped two at a time?

How many different combinations are possible if 10 numbers are grouped five at a
time.

6
There are 10 balls in a bag numbered from 1 to 10. Three balls are selected at
random. How many different ways are there of selecting the three balls?

7
A standard deck of cards consists of 4 suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs)
of 13 cards each. In how many ways can 5-card hands be dealt that include 3
diamonds and 2 cards from other suits?
8

How many four-digit numbers can be formed from the digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
without repetition?

9
A little league baseball team has six outfielders, seven infielders, five pitchers, and
two catchers. Each outfielder can play any of the three outfield positions and each
infielder can play any of the four infield positions. In how many ways can a team
of nine players be chosen?

10
Prove how nCn is equal to 1
Practice Problems (answers):
1
From a group of 9 different books, 4 books are to be selected and arranged on a
shelf. How many arrangements are possible?

n = total number available to arrange

r = number to be arranged
9P4 = 9 ! / (9 - 4) ! = 9! / 5! = 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 = 3024

2
In how many ways can the letters of the word SPECIAL be arranged using:
a) All the letters?
b) Only 4 letters at a time?

a)
7 P7 = 7! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5040

b)
7P4 = 7! / (7 - 4)! = 7! / 3! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 = 840

3
How many arrangements are possible for four people in a line?
There are four spaces to fill.

4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24 or 4! = 24

4
How many different combinations are possible if the 5 numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
are grouped two at a time?
5C2 = 5!
[(5-2)! x 2!] = 5!
[ 3! x 2!] = 120
[ 6 x 2] = 10
5

How many different combinations are possible if 10 numbers are grouped five at a
time.

10 C5 = 10!
[(10-5)! x 5!] = 252.

6
There are 10 balls in a bag numbered from 1 to 10. Three balls are selected at
random. How many different ways are there of selecting the three balls?

10 C3 = 10! = 10 × 9 × 8 = 120
3! (10 – 3)! 3 × 2 × 1

7
A standard deck of cards consists of 4 suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs)
of 13 cards each. In how many ways can 5-card hands be dealt that include 3
diamonds and 2 cards from other suits?

13C3 = 13!/[3! × (13-3)!] = 13!/(3! × 10!) = 286 (selecting 3 cards from the
diamond suit)
39C2 = 39!/[2! × (39-2)!] = 39!/(2! × 37!) = 741 (selecting 2 cards from the other
suits)
C = 13C3 × 39C2 = 286 × 741 = 211,926

There are 211,926 possible ways to deal 5-card hands with the diamond suit
taken 3 cards at a time, and the other suits taken 2 cards at a time.

How many four-digit numbers can be formed from the digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
without repetition?

Six items, four at a time = 6P4

6! 6x5x4x3x2x1
(6-4)! = 2x1 = 360
9
A little league baseball team has six outfielders, seven infielders, five pitchers, and
two catchers. Each outfielder can play any of the three outfield positions and each
infielder can play any of the four infield positions. In how many ways can a team
of nine players be chosen?

The number of ways of choosing three outfielders from the six candidates is:

C(6,3) = 6! = 6! = (6 x 5 x 4)3! = 20
(6-3)!3! 3!3! (3 x 2 x 1)3!

The number of ways of choosing the four infielders is

C(7,4) = 7! = 7 x 6 x 5 = 35
(7-4)!4! 3 x 2 x 1

There are five ways to choose a pitcher and two choices for a catcher. The
total number of ways to choose a team mixes the fundamental counting
principle and combinations together.
# of ways = 20 x 35 x 5 x 2 = 70000

10
Prove how nCn is equal to 1

if r = n, then the formula for nCr becomes

nCn = n! = n! = 1
(n-n)!n! 0!n!

Test
1. Calculate each of the following:
a) 5! / 3! b) 2! / 0! c) 6! / 4! d) 9! / 6!

2. Explain the difference between Combinations and Permutations.

3. Six people form a line and three are female. How many permutations of the
people are there if:
a) The 3 males must stand together?
b) 2 of the girls must stand together?

4. Calculate:
a) 5P3 b) 6P2 c) 7P6 d) 8P5

5. Calculate:
a) 6C2 b) 6C3 c) 6C4 d) 8C3

6. A group is to be chosen from 5 people.

a) How many ways can four people be selected?

7. In how many ways can five cards be selected from a well-shuffled deck of 52
cards?

8. How many ways can 20 compact discs be arranged in alphabetical order?

9. How many 4-digit arrangements can be created using the digits 5, 7, 8 and 2 if
a) the numbers can be repeated
b) the five must be the first number
c) the five must be the first number and the two the second

10. The baseball club has 50 members, 20 who are girls. A special group of 7 is to
be selected. How many ways can this group be selected if
a) everyone is considered equally
b) it must contain 4 girls
Answers
1. a) 20 b) 2 c)30 d) 504
2. In permutations the order is important, in combinations the order isn’t.
3. a) 144 b) 360
4. a) 60 b) 30 c) 5040 d) 6720
5. a) 15 b) 20 c) 4200 d) 56
6. a) 10
7. 2598960
8. 1
9. a) 256 b) 63 c) 16
10. a) 99884400 b) 19670700

Bibliography
1.) http://www.math.com
2.) http://www.hutchon.freeserve.co.uk/Factorials.utm
3.) http://www.omegamath.com/Data/d2.2html
4.) Nelson Canada, 1992.Pre-Calculus Mathematics One.Scarborough Ontario
Combinations
and
Permutations

Jessica Chauvin
April.12th, 2002
Mr. Betuik
Calculus 12