permutations

Introduction
(1) The Factorial : Factorial notation: Let n be a positive integer. Then, the continued product of first n
natural numbers is called factorial n, to be denoted by n ! or n .
Also, we define 0 ! = 1.
when n is negative or a fraction, n ! is not defined.
Thus, n ! = n (n – 1) (n – 2) ......3.2.1.
(2) Exponent of Prime p in n ! : Let p be a prime number and n be a positive integer. Then the last integer amongst 1, 2, 3, .......(n – 1), n

which is divisible by p is
[]
n
p
p , where
[]
n
p
denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to
n
p
.

Definition of permutation
The ways of arranging or selecting a smaller or an equal number of persons or objects at a time from a given group of persons or objects
with due regard being paid to the order of arrangement or selection are called the (different) permutations.
For example : Three different things a, b and c are given, then different arrangements which can be made by taking two things from
three given things are ab, ac, bc, ba, ca, cb.
Therefore the number of permutations will be 6.

Number of permutations with repetition

(1) The number of permutations (arrangements) of n different objects, taken r at a time, when each object may occur once, twice,
thrice,........upto r times in any arrangement = The number of ways of filling r places where each place can be filled by any one of n objects.
r – places :
The number of permutations = The number of ways of filling r places = ¿.
(2) The number of arrangements that can be formed using n objects out of which p are identical (and of one kind) q are identical (and of
n!
another kind), r are identical (and of another kind) and the rest are distinct is .
p! q!r!
Conditional permutations
(1) Number of permutations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time when p particular things always occur = 4P3.
(2) Number of permutations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time when p particular things never occur = n−p C r r !.
(3) The total number of permutations of n different things taken not more than r at a time, when each thing may be repeated any
r
number of times, is
n(n −1) .
n−1
(4) Number of permutations of n different things, taken all at a time, when m specified things always come together is
m ! ×(n−m+1)! .
(5) Number of permutations of n different things, taken all at a time, when m specified things never come together is
n !−m! ×(n−m+1)!.
(6) Let there be n objects, of which m objects are alike of one kind, and the remaining (n−m) objects are alike of another kind. Then, the
n!
total number of mutually distinguishable permutations that can be formed from these objects is .
(m !)×(n−m)!
The above theorem can be extended further i.e., if there are n objects, of which p1 are alike of one kind; p2 are alike of another kind;
p3 are alike of 3rd kind;......; pr are alike of rth kind such that p1 + p2 +......+ p r=n; then the number of permutations of these n objects is
n!
.
( p1 !)×( p2 !)× ......×( pr !)
Circular permutations
In circular permutations, what really matters is the position of an object relative to the others.
Thus, in circular permutations, we fix the position of the one of the objects and then arrange the other objects in all possible ways.
There are two types of circular permutations :
(i) The circular permutations in which clockwise and the anticlockwise arrangements give rise to different permutations, e.g. Seating
arrangements of persons round a table.
(ii) The circular permutations in which clockwise and the anticlockwise arrangements give rise to same permutations, e.g. arranging
some beads to form a necklace.
EXERCISE-1
Q 1. Compute:
 30! 11!−10 !
(i) (ii) (iii) L.CM. (6!, 7!, 8!)
28! 9!
1 1 1 122
Q 2. Prove that + + =
9 ! 10 ! 11! 11!
1 1 x
Q 3. If + = , find x.
4! 5! 6!
Q 4. Convert the following products into factorials :
(i) 5.6.7. 8.9.10 (ii) 3.6.9.12.15.18
(iii) (n + 1)(n + 2) (n + 3)...(2n) (iv) 1.3.5.7.9 ... (2n - 1)
Q 5. Which of the following are true:
(i) (2 + 3)! = 2! + 3! (ii) (2 × 3)! = 2! × 3!
Q 6. Prove that: n! (n + 2) = n! + (n + !)!
Q 7. If (n + 2)! = 60 [(n - 1)!], find n.
Q 8. If(n + 1)! = 90[(n - 1)!], find n.
Q 9. If (n + 3)! = 56 [(n + 1)!], find n.
(2 n !) n!
Q 10. If and are in the ratio 44 : 3, find n.
3! (2 n−3) ! 2! (n−2)!
Q 11. Prove that:
n!
(i) =n(n−1)(n−2)...(n−(r −1))
(n−r )!
n! n! (n+1)!
(ii) + =
(n−r )! r ! (n−r +1)! (r −1)! r !(n−r +1)!
Q 12. Prove that: (2 n+1)! =2n [1.3.5 ...(2 n−1)(2n+1)]
n!
Answers
10! (2 n)! (2 n)!
1. (i) 870 (ii) 100 (iii) 8! 3. 36 4.(i) (ii) 36(6!) (iii) (iv)
4! n! 2n n!
5.(i) False (ii) False 7. 3 8. 9 9. 5 10. 6
EXERCISE-2

. Q 1. In a class there are 27 boys and 14 girls. The teacher wants to select 1 boy and 1 girl to represent the class in a function.
In how many ways can the teacher make this selection ?
Q 2. A person wants to buy one fountain pen, one ball pen and one pencil from a stationery shop. If there are 10 fountain pen
varieties, 12 ball pen varieties and 5 pencil varieties, in how many ways can he select these articles ?
Q 3. From Goa to Bombay there are two roots; air, and sea. From Bombay to Delhi there are three routes; air, rail and road.
From Goa to Delhi via Bombay, how many kinds of routes are there ?
Q 4. A mint prepares metallic calenders specifying months, dates and days in the form of monthly sheets (one plate for each
month). How many types of calendars should it prepare to serve for all the possibilities in future years ?
Q 5. There are four parcels and five post-offices. In how many different ways can the parcels be sent by registered post ?
Q 6. A coin is tossed five times and outcomes are recorded. How many possible outcomes are there ?
Q 7. In how many ways can an examinee answer a set of ten true/false type questions?
Q 8. A letter lock consists of three rings each marked with 10 different letters. In how many ways it is possible to make an
unsuccessful attempt to open the lock ?
Q 9. There are 6 multiple choice questions in an examination. How many sequences of answers are possible, if the first three
questions have 4 choices each and the next three have 2 each ?
Q 10. There are 5 books on Mathematics and 6 books on Physics in a book shop. In how many ways can a student buy: (i) a
Mathematics book and a Physics book (ii) either a Mathematics book or a Physics book ?
Q 11. Given 7 flags of different colours, how many different signals can be generated if a signal requires the use of two flags,
one below the other ?
Q 12. A team consists of 6 boys and 4 girls and other has 5 boys and 3 girls. How many single matches can be arranged
between the two teams when a boy plays against a boy and a girl plays against a girl ?
Q 13. Twelve students compete in a race. In how many ways first three prizes be given ?
Q 14. How many A.P.'s with 10 terms are there whose first term is in the set {1, 2,3} and whose common difference is in the set
{1,2,3,4,5} ?
Q 15. From among the 36 teachers in a college, one principal, one vice-principal and the teacher-incharge are to be appointed.
In how many ways can this be done ?
Q 16. How many three-digit numbers are there with no digit repeated ?
Q 17. How many three-digit numbers are there ?
Q 18. How many three-digit odd numbers are there ?
Q 19. How many different five-digit number licence plates can be made if
(i) first digit cannot be zero and the repetition of digits is not allowed,
(ii) the first-digit cannot be zero, but the repetition of digits is allowed ?
Q 20. How many four-digit numbers can be formed with the digits 3,5, 7, 8,9 which are greater than 7000, if repetition of digits
is not allowed ?
Q 21. How many four-digit numbers can be formed with the digits 3,5, 7,8,9 which are greater than 8000, if repetition of digits
is not allowed ?
Q 22. In how many ways can six persons be seated in a row ?
Q 23. How many 9-digit numbers of different digits can be formed ?
Q 24. How many odd numbers less than 1000 can be formed by using the digits 0,3,5,7 when repetition of digits is not
allowed ?
Q 25. How many 3-digit numbers are there, with distinct digits, with each digit odd ?
Q 26. How many different numbers of six digits each can be formed from the digits 4,5, 6,7,8,9 when repetition of digits is not
allowed ?
Q 27. How many different numbers of six digits can be formed from the digits 3,1, 7, 0, 9,5 when repetition of digits is not
allowed ?
Q 28. How many four digit different numbers, greater than 5000 can be formed with the digits 1,2,5,9,0 when repetition of
digits is not allowed ?
Q 29. Serial numbers for an item produced in a factory are to be made using two letters followed by four digits (0 to 9). If the
letters are to be taken from six letters of English alphabet without repetition and the digits are also not repeated in a serial
number, how many serial numbers are possible ?
Q 30. A number lock on a suitcase has 3 wheels each labelled with ten digits 0 to 9. If opening of the lock is a particular
sequence of three digits with no repeats, how many such sequences will be possible ? Also, find the number of
unsuccessful attempts to open the lock.
Q 31. A customer forgets a four-digit code for an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) in a bank. However, he remembers that this
code consists of digits 3,5,6 and 9. Find the largest possible number of trials necessary to obtain the correct code.
Q 32. In how many ways can three job is I, II and III be assigned to three persons A, B and C if one person is assigned only one
job and all are capable of doing each job?
Q 33. How many natural numbers not exceeding 4321 can be formed with the digits 1,2, 3 and 4, if the digits can repeat ?
Q 34. How many numbers of six digits can be formed from the digits 0,1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 when no digit is repeated ? How many
of them are divisible by 10 ?
Q 35. If three six faced die each marked with numbers 1 to 6 on six faces, are thrown find the total number of possible
outcomes.
Q 36. A coin is tossed three times and the outcomes are recorded. How many possible outcomes are there ? How many possible
outcomes if the coin is tossed four times? Five times? n times?
Q 37. Find the number of ways in which 8 distinct toys can be distributed among 5 childrent.
Q 38. Find the number of ways in which one can post 5 letters in 7 letter boxes.
Q 39. Three dice are rolled. Find the number of possible outcomes in which at least one die shows 5.
Q 40. Find the total number of ways in which 20 balls can be put into 5 boxes so that first box contains just one ball.
Q 41. In how many ways can 5 different balls be distributed among three boxes ?
Q 42. In how many ways can 7 letters be posted in 4 letter boxes ?
Q 43. In how many ways can 4 prizes be distributed among 5 students, when
(i) no student gets more than one prize ? (ii) a student may get any number of prizes ?
(iii) no student gets all the prizes ?
Q 44. How many numbers of four digits can be formed with the digits 1, 2,3,4,5 if the digits can be repeated in the same
number ?
Q 45. How many three digit numbers can be formed by using the digits 0,1,3,5,7 while each digit may be repeated any number
of times ?
Q 46. How many natural numbers less than 1000 can be formed from the digits 0,1,2,3, 4,5 when a digit may be repeated any
number of times ?
Q 47. A coin is tossed 3 times and the outcomes are recorded. How many possible outcomes are there?
Q 48. How many five 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?
ANSWERS
1. 378 2. 600 3. 6 4. 14 5. 625 6. 32 7. 1024
8. 999 9. 512 10. (i) 30 (ii) 11 11. 42 12. 42 13. 1320 14. 15
15. 42840 16. 648 17. 900 18. 450 19. (i) 27216 (ii) 90000 20. 72 21. 48
22. 720 23. 9(9!) 24. 21 25. 60 26. 720 27. 600 28. 48
29. 151200 30. 720,719 31. 24 32. 6 33. 229 34. 600,120 35. 216
36. 8,16, 2" 37. 58 38. 75 39. 91 40. 20 x4 19
41. 243 42. 47
43. (i) 5! (ii) 625 (iii) 620 44. 625 45. 100 46. 215 47. 8 48. 336
EXERCISE-3

Q 1. Evaluate each of the following :

(i) 8P3 (ii) 10P4 (iii) 6P6 (iv) P(6,4)
Q 2. If P (5, r) = P (6, r - 1), find r. Q 3. If 5 P(4, n) = 6. P(5, n - 1), find n..
n
Q 4. If P (n, 5) = 20. P(n, 3), find n Q 5. If P4 = 360, find the value of n.
Q 6. If P(9, r) = 3024, find r. Q 7. If P(11, r) = P (12, r - 1) find r.
Q 8. If P (n, 4) = 12 . P (n, 2), find n. Q 9. If P(n - 1, 3):P(n, 4) = l:9,find n.
Q 10. If P (2n - 1, n): P (2n + 1, n - 1) = 22 : 7 find n.
Q 11. If P (n, 5): P (n, 3) = 2 :1, find n.
Q 12. Prove that:
1. P (1,1) + 2 . P (2,2) + 3 . P (3,3) + ... + n . P (n, n) = P (n + 1, n + 1) - 1.
Q 13. If P(15 ,r - 1):P(16, r - 2) = 3:4, find r.
n+ 3
11(n−1)
Q 14. If n + 5Pn + 1 = Pn , find n.
2
Q 15. In how many ways can five children stand in a queue ?
Q 16. From among the 36 teachers in a school, one principal and one vice-principal are to be appointed. In how many ways can
this be done ?
Q 17. Four letters E, K, S and V, one in each, were purchased from a plastic warehouse. How many ordered pairs of letters, to
be used as initials, can be formed from them?
Q 18. Four books, one each in Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics, are to be arranged in a shelf. In how many ways
can this be done ?
Q 19. Find the number of different 4-letter words, with or without meanings, that can be formed from the letters of the word
'NUMBER'.
Q 20. How many three-digit numbers are there, with distinct digits, with each digit odd?
Q 21. How many words, with or without meaning, can be formed by using all the letters of the word 'DELHI', using each letter
exactly once ?
Q 22. How many words, with or without meaning, can be formed by using the letters of the word 'TRIANGLE' ?
Q 23. There are two works each of 3 volumes and two works each of 2 volumes; In how many ways can the 10 books be placed
on a shelf so that the volumes of the same work are not separated ?
Q 24. There are 6 items in column A and 6 items in column B. A student is asked to match each item in column A with an item
in column B. How many possible, correct or incorrect, answers are there to this question ?
Q 25. How many three-digit numbers are there, with no digit repeated?
Q 26. How many 6-digit telephone numbers can be constructed with digits 0,1,2,3,4,5, 6,7,8,9 if each number starts with 35 and
no digit appears more than once ?
Q 27. In how many ways can 6 boys and 5 girls be arranged for a group photograph if the girls are to sit on chairs in a row and
the boys are to stand in a row behind them ?
Q 28. If a denotes the number of permutations of (x + 2) things taken all at a time, b the number of permutations of x things
taken 11 at a time and c the number of permutations of x - 11 things taken all at a time such that a = 182 bc, find the
value of x.
ANSWERS
1. (i) 336 (ii) 5040 (iii) 720 (iv) 3602. 4 3. 3 4. 8 5. 6 6. 4 7. 9 8. 6 9. 9 10. 10
11. 5 13. 14 14. 6,7 15. 120 16. 1260 17. 12 18. 24
19. 360 20. 60 21. 120 22. 8! 23 . 3456 24. 720 25. 648
26. 168027. 86400 28. 12
EXERCISE-4

Q 1. In how many ways can the letters of the word 'FAILURE' be arranged so that the consonants may occupy only odd
positions ?
Q 2. In how many ways can the letters of the word 'STRANGE' be arranged so that
(i) the vowels come together ? (ii) the vowels never come together ? and
(iii) the vowels occupy only the odd places ?
Q 3. How many words can be formed from the letters of the word 'SUNDAY' ? How many of these begin with D?
Q 4. How many words can be formed out of the letters of the word, 'ORIENTAL', so that the vowels always occupy the odd
places ?
Q 5. How many different words can be formed with the letters of word 'SUNDAY' ? How many of the words begin with N?
How many begin with N and end in Y ?
Q 6. How many different words can be formed from the letters of the word 'GANESHPURI' ? In how many of these words :
(i) the letter G always occupies the first place ?
(ii) the letters P and I respectively occupy first and last place ?
(iii) the vowels are always together ? (iv) the vowels always occupy even places ?
Q 7. How many permutations can be formed by the letters of the word, 'VOWELS', when
(i) there is no restriction on letters ? (ii) each word begins with E ?
(iii) each word begins with O and ends with L ? (iv) all vowels come together ?
(v) all consonants come together ?
Q 8. How many words can be formed out of the letters of the word 'ARTICLE', so that vowels occupy even places ?
Q 9. In how many ways can a lawn tennis mixed double be made up from seven married couples if no husband and wife play
in the same set ?
Q 10. m men and n women are to be seated in a row so that no two women sit together. lf m > n then show that the number of
m !(m+1)!
ways in which they can be seated as
(m−n+1)!
Q 11. How many words (with or without dictionary meaning) can be made from the letters in the word MONDAY, assuming
that no letter is repeated, if
(i) 4 letters are used at a time ? (ii) all letters are used at a time.
(iii) all letters are used but first is vowel.
Q 12. How many three letter words can be made using the letters of the word 'ORIENTAL'?
ANSWERS
1. 576 2. (i) 1440 (ii) 3600 (iii) 1440 3. 720, 120 4. 576 5. 720,120,24
6. 10! (i) 9! (ii) 8! (iii) 7! × 4! (iv) 5! × 6! 7. (i) 720 (ii) 120 (iii) 24 (iv) 240 . (v) 144
8. 144 9. 840 11. (i) 360 (ii) 720 (iii) 240 12. 336
EXERCISE-5

Q 1. Find the number of words formed by permuting all the letters of the following words:
(i) INDEPENDENCE (ii) INTERMEDIATE (iii) ARRANGE (iv) INDIA (v) PAKISTAN (vi) RUSSIA (vii) SERIES
(viii) EXERCISES (ix) CONSTANTINOPLE
Q 2. In how many ways can the letters of the word 'ALGEBRA' be arranged without changing the relative order of the vowels
and consonants ?
Q 3. How many words can be formed with the letters of the word 'UNIVERSITY', the vowels remaining together ?
Q 4. Find the total number of arrangements of the letters in the expression «3 b2 c4 when written at full length.
Q 5. How many words can be formed with the letters of the word 'PARALLEL' so that all L's do not come together ?
Q 6. How many words can be formed by arranging the letters of the word 'MUMBAF so that all M's come together ?
Q 7. If the letters of the word 'LATE' be permuted and the words so formed be arranged as in a dictionary, find the rank of the
word LATE,
Q 8. If the letters of the word 'MOTHER' are written in all possible orders and these words are written out as in a dictionary,
find the rank of the word 'MOTHER'.
Q 9. If the permutations of a, b, c, d, e taken all together be written down in alphabetical order as in dictionary and numbered,
find the rank of the permutation debac.
Q 10. How many numbers can be formed with the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 3,. 2,1 so that the odd digits always occupy the odd places ?
Q 11. Find the total number of ways in which six '+' and four '-' signs can be arranged in a line such that no two '-' signs occur
together.
Q 12. How many different signals can be made from 4 red, 2 white and 3 green flags by arranging all of them vertically on a
flagstaff ?
Q 13. How many number of four digits can be formed with the digits 1, 3,3, 0 ?
Q 14. In how many ways can the letters of the word 'ARRANGE' be arranged so that the two R's are never together ?
Q 15. How many different numbers, greater than 50000 can be formed with the digits 0, 1,1,5,9.
Q 16. How many words can be formed from the letters of the word 'SERIES' which start with S and end with S ?
Q 17. How many permutations of the letters uf the word 'MADHUBANF do not begin with M but end with I ?
Q 18. Find the number of numbers, greater than a million, that can be formed with the digits 2, 3, 0,3,4, 2, 3.
Q 19. In how many ways can the letters of the word "INTERMEDIATE" be arranged so that:
(i) the vowels always occupy even places ?
(ii) the relative order of vowels and consonants do not alter ?
Q 20. There are three copies each of 4 different books. In how many ways can they be arranged in a shelf ?
Q 21. The letters of the word 'ZENITH' are written in all possible orders. How many words are possible if all these words are
written out as in a dictionary ? What is the rank of the word 'ZENITH' ?
Q 22. How many different arrangements can be made by using all the letters in the word 'MATHEMATICS'. How many of
mem begin with C ? How many of them begin with T ?
Q 23. The letters of the word 'SURITI' are written in all possible orders and these words are written out as in a dictionary. Find
the rank of the word 'SURITI'.
Q 24. A biologist studying the genetic code is interested to know the number of possible arrangements of 12 molecules in a
chain. The chain contains 4 different molecules represented by the initials A (for Adenine), C (for Cytosine), G (for
Guanine) and T (for Thymine) and 3 molecules of each kind. How many different such arrangements are possible ?
Q 25. In how many ways can 4 red, 3 yellow and 2 green discs be arranged in a row if the discs of the same colour are
indistinguishable ?
Q 26. How many numbers greater than 1000000 can be formed by using the digits 1,2,0, 2, 4, 2,4?
Q 27. In how many ways can the letters of the word ASSASSINATION be arranged so that all the S's are together?
Q 28. Find the total number of permutations of the letters of the word 'INSTITUTE'.
Answers
14 !
1. (i) 1663200 (ii) 19958400 (iii) 1260 (iv) 60 (v) 20160 (vi) 360(vii) 180 (viii) 30240 (ix)
24
2. 72 3. 60480 4. 1260 5. 3000 6. 120 7. 14 8. 309
9. 93 10. 18 11. 35 12. 1260 13. 9 14. 900 15. 24
16. 12 17. 17640 18. 360 19. (i) 21600 (ii) 21600 20. 12!/(3!)4 21. 616
22. 23. 236 24. 369600 25. 1260 26. 360 27. 151200
11! 10! 10!
2! 2 ! 2 ! ' 2 ! 2! 2 ! ' 2 ! 2 !

9!
28.
2! 3 !