1. In how many ways can 3 people be seated in a row containing 6 seats?

Correct Answer: 120

Explanation
There are 6 seats available and 3 people to be seated. The first person can choose any of the 6 seats. After the
first person is seated, there are 5 seats remaining. The second person can choose any of the 5 seats. After the
second person is seated, there are 4 seats remaining. The third person can choose any of the 4 seats.
Therefore, the total number of ways to seat 3 people in a row containing 6 seats is 6 x 5 x 4 = 120.
2. How many 4-letter codes can be formed using the first 9 letters of the English alphabet if no letter is
repeated?
Correct Answer: 3024
Explanation
To form a 4-letter code using the first 9 letters of the English alphabet without repetition, we have 9 choices for
the first letter, 8 choices for the second letter, 7 choices for the third letter, and 6 choices for the fourth letter.
Therefore, the total number of possible codes is 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 = 3024.
3. Find the number of ways in which 5 players out of 8 players can be selected from a team.
Correct Answer: 56
Explanation
The number of ways to select 5 players out of 8 can be calculated using the combination formula. The formula
for combination is nCr = n! / (r!(n-r)!), where n is the total number of players and r is the number of players to be
selected. In this case, n = 8 and r = 5. Plugging these values into the formula, we get 8C5 = 8! / (5!(8-5)!) = 8! /
(5!3!) = (8*7*6) / (3*2*1) = 56. Therefore, the correct answer is 56.
4. A student has 5 pants and 8 shirts. The number of ways in which he can wear the dress in different
combinations is:
Correct Answer: 40
Explanation
To find the number of ways the student can wear the dress in different combinations, you multiply the number of
options for pants by the number of options for shirts.
Number of ways = (number of pants) * (number of shirts) Number of ways = 5 * 8 Number of ways = 40
So, the student can wear the dress in 40 different combinations.
5. There are 35 teachers in a school. In how many different ways one principal and one vice principal can be
chosen?
Correct Answer : 1190
Explanation
The number of ways to choose one principal from 35 teachers is 35. After selecting the principal, there are 34
teachers remaining from which to choose the vice principal. Therefore, the number of ways to choose one vice
principal is 34. To find the total number of ways to choose both a principal and a vice principal, we multiply the
number of ways to choose each position together: 35 * 34 = 1190.
6. Four boys and three girls are to be seated for a dinner such that no two girls sit together and no two boys
sit together. Find the number of ways in which this can be arranged.
Correct Answer: 144
Explanation
In this scenario, we need to arrange four boys and three girls for a dinner in such a way that no two girls sit
together and no two boys sit together. To find the number of ways this can be arranged, we can consider the
arrangement of boys and girls separately. There are 4! (4 factorial) ways to arrange the boys and 3! (3 factorial)
ways to arrange the girls. However, since the arrangement of boys and girls is independent, we need to multiply
these two numbers together. Therefore, the total number of ways to arrange the boys and girls is 4! * 3! = 24 * 6
= 144.
7. In how many ways can the letter of the word ‘PARISE’ be arranged so that no two vowels come together
Correct Answer: 144
8. In a group of 6 boys and 4 girls, four children are to be selected. In how many different ways can they be
selected such that at least one boy should be there?
Correct Answer: 209
9. How many 4-letter words, with or without meaning, can be formed out of the letters of the word,
‘LOGARITHMS’ if repetition of letters is not allowed?
Correct Answer: 5040
Explanation
The given word "LOGARITHMS" has 10 letters. We need to form 4-letter words without repetition. To do this,
we can select 4 letters from the 10 available. The number of ways to select 4 letters from 10 is given by the
combination formula, which is 10! / (4! * (10-4)!). Simplifying this expression gives us 10! / (4! * 6!). This can be
further simplified to (10 * 9 * 8 * 7) / (4 * 3 * 2 * 1) = 5040. Therefore, there are 5040 possible 4-letter words that
can be formed.
10. How many ways can the letters of the word TREES be ordered such that each ‘word’ starts with a
consonant and ends with a vowel?
Correct Answer: 18
Explanation
To determine the number of ways the letters of the word TREES can be arranged such that each "word" starts
with a consonant and ends with a vowel, we need to consider the possible arrangements. The word TREES has
5 letters, with 2 vowels (E, E) and 3 consonants (T, R, S).

To start with a consonant, we have 3 options for the first letter. Then, for the second position, we have 4 options
(as we have used one of the consonants already). For the third position, we have 3 options left, and for the
fourth position, we have 2 options. Finally, for the last position, we have 2 options for a vowel.

Hence, the total number of ways the letters can be arranged is 3 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 2 = 72. However, we need to
divide by 2 to account for the repeated vowel (E), resulting in 72/2 = 36.
Therefore, the correct answer is 18.
11. 12 people at a party shake hands once with everyone else in the room. How many handshakes took
place?
Correct Answer: 66
Explanation
In this scenario, each person shakes hands with every other person in the room once. To calculate the number
of handshakes, we can use the formula n(n-1)/2, where n represents the number of people. In this case, there
are 12 people, so the calculation would be 12(12-1)/2 = 66 handshakes.
12. In how many ways can you choose one or more of 5 different candies?
Correct Answer: 31
Explanation
The number of ways to choose one or more of 5 different candies can be found using the concept of
combinations. For each candy, we have two choices: either include it in the selection or not. Since we have 5
candies, the total number of choices is 2^5 = 32. However, we need to subtract 1 from this total because we are
not considering the case where none of the candies are chosen. Therefore, the correct answer is 32 - 1 = 31.
13. In how many ways can 8 directors, vice-chairman, and chairman of a firm be selected at a round table if
the chairman has to sit between the vice-chairman and a director?
Correct Answer: 8! * 2
Explanation
There are 8 ways to select the director who will sit on the left side of the chairman, and once that is determined,
there is only 1 way to select the chairman. Then, there are 7 ways to select the director who will sit on the right
side of the chairman. Therefore, the total number of ways to select the directors, vice-chairman, and chairman
is 8 * 1 * 7 = 56. However, since the directors and vice-chairman can be arranged in a circular manner, we need
to multiply this by 2. Thus, the correct answer is 8! * 2.
14. A man has 9 friends, 4 boys and 5 girls. In how many ways can he invite them, if there have to be exactly
3 girls in the invitees?
Correct Answer: 160
Explanation
The man has 5 girls to choose from for the first girl to be invited, then 4 girls for the second girl, and 3 girls for
the third girl. Since the order in which the girls are invited does not matter, we divide by 3! (the number of ways
to arrange 3 girls) to avoid overcounting. For the remaining 6 spots, the man can invite any of the 4 boys or the
remaining 2 girls. Therefore, the total number of ways to invite the friends is 5 * 4 * 3 / 3! * 6 * 5 = 160.
 15. In how many ways can you distribute 5 identical chocolates to 3 children so that any child can get any
number of chocolates from 0 to 5?
Correct Answer : 21
Permutations and Combinations Questions and Answers
1. How many numbers are there between 99 and 1000, having at least one of their digits 7?
Solution:
Numbers between 99 and 1000 are all three-digit numbers.
Total number of 3 digit numbers having at least one of their digits as 7 = (Total numbers of three-digit numbers) – (Total
number of 3 digit numbers in which 7 does not appear at all)
= (9 × 10 × 10) – (8 × 9 × 9)
= 900 – 648
= 252
2. How many 5-digit telephone numbers can be constructed using the digits 0 to 9, if each number starts with
67 and no digit appears more than once?
Solution:
Let ABCDE be a five-digit number.
Given that the first two digits of each number are 6 and 7.
Therefore, the number is 67CDE.
As repetition is not allowed and 6 and 7 are already taken, the digits available for place C are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, i.e.
eight possible digits.
Suppose one of them is taken at C, now the digits possible at place D is 7.
Similarly, at E, the possible digit is 6.
Therefore, the total five-digit numbers with given conditions = 8 × 7 × 6 = 336.
3. Find the number of permutations of the letters of the word ALLAHABAD.
Solution:
Given word – ALLAHABAD
Here, there are 9 objects (letters) of which there are 4As, 2 Ls and rest are all different.
Therefore, the required number of arrangements = 9!/(4! 2!)
= (1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7 × 8 × 9)/ (1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 1 × 2)
= (5 × 6 × 7 × 8 × 9)/2
= 7560
4. In how many of the distinct permutations of the letters in MISSISSIPPI do the four Is not come together?
Solution:
Given word – MISSISSIPPI
M–1
I–4
S–4
P–2
Number of permutations = 11!/(4! 4! 2!) = (11 × 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4!)/ (4! × 24 × 2)
= 34650
We take that 4 I’s come together, and they are treated as 1 letter,
∴ Total number of letters=11 – 4 + 1 = 8
⇒ Number of permutations = 8!/(4! 2!)
= (8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4!)/ (4! × 2)
= 840
Therefore, the total number of permutations where four Is don’t come together = 34650 – 840 = 33810
5. In a small village, there are 87 families, of which 52 families have at most 2 children. In a rural development
programme, 20 families are to be chosen for assistance, of which at least 18 families must have at most 2
children. In how many ways can the choice be made?
Solution:
Given,
Total number of families = 87
Number of families with at most 2 children = 52
Remaining families = 87 – 52 = 35
Also, for the rural development programme, 20 families are to be chosen for assistance, of which at least 18 families
must have at most 2 children.
Thus, the following are the number of possible choices:
52
C18 × 35C2 (18 families having at most 2 children and 2 selected from other types of families)
52
C19 × 35C1 (19 families having at most 2 children and 1 selected from other types of families)
52
C20 (All selected 20 families having at most 2 children)
Hence, the total number of possible choices = 52C18 × 35C2 + 52C19 × 35C1 + 52C20
6. A committee of 3 persons is to be constituted from a group of 2 men and 3 women. In how many ways can
this be done? How many of these committees would consist of 1 man and 2 women?
Solution:
Given,
Men = 2
Women = 3
A committee of 3 persons to be constituted.
Here, the order does not matter.
Therefore, we need to count combinations.
There will be as many committees as combinations of 5 different persons taken 3 at a time.
Hence, the required number of ways = 5C3
= 5!/(3! 2!)
= (5 × 4 × 3!)/(3! × 2)
= 10
Committees with 1 man and 2 women:
1 man can be selected from 2 men in 2C1 ways.
2 women can be selected from 3 women in 3C2 ways.
Therefore, the required number of committees = 2C1 × 3C2
= 2 × 3C1
=2×3
=6
7. Determine the number of 5 card combinations out of a deck of 52 cards, if there is exactly one ace in each
combination.
Solution:
Given a deck of 52 cards
There are 4 Ace cards in a deck of 52 cards.
According to the given, we need to select 1 Ace card out of the 4 Ace cards
∴ The number of ways to select 1 Ace from 4 Ace cards is 4C1
⇒ More 4 cards are to be selected now from 48 cards (52 cards – 4 Ace cards)
∴ The number of ways to select 4 cards from 48 cards is 48C4
Number of 5 card combinations out of a deck of 52 cards if there is exactly one ace in each combination = 4C1 × 48C4
= 4 × [48!/(44! 4!)]
= 4 × [(48 × 47 × 46 × 45 × 44!)/ (44! × 24)]
= 4 × 2 × 47 × 46 × 45
= 778320
8. A group consists of 4 girls and 7 boys. In how many ways can a team of 5 members be selected if the team
has
(i) no girls
(ii) at least one boy and one girl
(iii) at least three girls
Solution:
Given,
Number of girls = 7
Number of boys = 7
(i) No girls
Total number of ways the team can have no girls = 4C0 × 7C5
= 1 × 21
= 21
(ii) at least one boy and one girl
1 boy and 4 girls = 7C1 × 4C4 = 7 × 1 = 7
2 boys and 3 girls = 7C2 × 4C3 = 21 × 4 = 84
3 boys and 2 girls = 7C3 × 4C2 = 35 × 6 = 210
4 boys and 1 girl = 7C4 × 4C1 = 35 × 4 = 140
Total number of ways the team can have at least one boy and one girl = 7 + 84 + 210 + 140
= 441
(iii) At least three girls
Total number of ways the team can have at least three girls = 4C3 × 7C2 + 4C4 × 7C1
= 4 × 21 + 7
= 84 + 7
= 91
9. How many numbers greater than 1000000 can be formed using the digits 1, 2, 0, 2, 4, 2, 4?
Solution:
Given numbers – 1000000
Number of digits = 7
The numbers have to be greater than 1000000, so they can begin either with 1, 2 or 4.
When 1 is fixed at the extreme left position, the remaining digits to be rearranged will be 0, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, in which there
are 3, 2s and 2, 4s.
Thus, the number of numbers beginning with 1 = 6!/(3! 2!) = (6 × 5 × 4 × 3!)/(3! × 2)
= 60
The total numbers begin with 2 = 6!/(2! 2!) = 720/4 = 180
Similarly, the total numbers beginning with 4 = 6!/3! = 720/6 = 120
Therefore, the required number of numbers = 60 + 180 + 120 = 360.
10. 18 mice were placed in two experimental groups and one control group, with all groups equally large. In
how many ways can the mice be placed into three groups?
Solution:
Number of mice = 18
Number of groups = 3
Since the groups are equally large, the possible number of mice in each group = 18/3 = 6
The number of ways of placement of mice =18!
For each group, the placement of mice = 6!
Hence, the required number of ways = 18!/(6!6!6!) = 18!/(6!)3