Permutation & Combination
Permutation & Combination
Combinations
Permutation
A permutation is defined as a possible
selection of a certain number of objects
taken from a group with regard to order.
In permutation order does matter.
It is an orderly arrangement of objects.
nPr =
n!
(n r) !
Where, n ! = n x (n-1) x(n-2) x (n 3).
If r = n, nPn = n ! ; Also 0 ! = 1
nPr means the number of permutations of
Ms. Suchi Patel
n things Ms.
taking
Suchi Patel r things at a time.
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Combination
A combination is defined as a possible
selection of a certain number of objects
taken from a group without regard to order.
In combination order doesnt matter
It is selection of objects without order.
nC
n!
(n r) ! r !
If r = n , nCn = 1
Examples of Permutations:
1) There are three boys A, B & C. Arrange
them in a row, two at a time.
2) There are three different books Physics,
Chemistry & Mathematics. Arrange them in a
row taking all the three at a time.
3) In how many ways can 5 students be
seated on a bench?
4) Find the number of permutations of the
letters of the word MOBILE
5) Find the number of arrangements of the
letters of the word ARUN. How many of these
begin with A?
Ms. Suchi Patel
Ms. Suchi Patel
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Examples of Combinations:
1) Find the number of combinations of the letters of
the word CAKE.
2) A box contains 5 Blue & 4 Red marbles. In how
many ways can 4 marbles be drawn so as to
include 2 red marbles?
3) In how many ways can 4 people be selected from
a group of 6 among which ashok is one?
4) From 8 gentlemen & 4 ladies, a committee of 6 is
to be formed. In how many ways can this be done
so that the committee contains exactly 2 ladies?
5) There are 6 bowlers & 9 batsmen in a cricket club.
In how many ways can a team of 11 be selected so
that the team contains atleast 4 bowlers
Ms. Suchi Patel
Examples
1) There are 20 people who work in an office
together. Four of these people are selected
to go to the same conference together. How
many such selections are possible?
2) Suppose that 4 people are to be randomly
chosen out of 10 people who agreed to be
interviewed in a market survey. These four
people are to be assigned to four
interviewers. How many possibilities are
there?
3) Nine sealed bids for oil drilling leases arrive
at a regulatory agency. In how many
different orders
can
the
Ms. Suchi
Patelnine bids be
Ms. Suchi Patel
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Solution:
A. Order matters.
If a Monet is put on one side of a wall and a Degas on the other, and then they are
switched around, that is a different room design arrangement so therefore, order
matters.
B. Order does not matter.
Since whatever 6 apples this woman chooses to purchase represent one large group
without assignment, there is no order.
C. Order matters.
If Alex must read 5 books in 3 days, it will matter which book he read on which day.
T1 on one day,
T 2 on another day. The prevailing order is the days of the week.
D. Order does not matter.
The order of toppings on a pizza does not matter (does it matter if pepperoni is on top
or mushrooms?)
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