Permutations &

Combinations

Revision
 Multiplication Rule
If one event can occur in m ways, a second
event in n ways and a third event in r, then
the three events can occur in m × n × r ways.

Example Erin has 5 tops, 6 skirts and 4 caps

from which to choose an outfit.
In how many ways can she select one top, one
skirt and one cap?

Solution: Ways = 5 × 6 ×
4
 Repetition of an Event
If one event with n outcomes occurs r times with
repetition allowed, then the number of ordered
arrangements is nr

Example 1 What is the number of arrangements if a die is

rolled

(a) 2 times ? 6×6 = 62

(b) 3 times ? 6×6×6 = 63

(b) r times ? 6 × 6 × 6 × ……. = 6r

 Repetition of an Event
Example 2
(a) How many different car number plates are
possible
with 3 letters followed by 3 digits?
Solution: 26 × 26 × 26 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 26 3 × 1

(b) How many of these number plates begin with ABC

?
Solution: 1 × 1 × 1 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 103

(c) If a plate is chosen at random, what is the

probability that it begins with ABC?
Solution: 103 = 1 .
263 × 103 263
 Factorial Representation
n! = n(n - 1)(n - 2)………..3 × 2 × 1

For example 5! = 5.4.3.2.1 Note 0! = 1

Example
a) In how many ways can 6 people be arranged in a
row?
Solution : 6.5.4.3.2.1 = 6!

b) How many arrangements are possible if only 3

of them are chosen?
Solution: 6.5.4 = 120
Arrangements or Permutatio
Distinctly ordered sets are called arrangements or
permutations.
The number of permutations of n objects taken r at
a time is given by:

nPr = n! .
( n - r)!

where n = number of objects

r = number of positions
Arrangements or Permutatio
Eg 1. A maths debating team consists of 4 speakers.

a) In how many ways can all 4 speakers be arranged

in a row for a photo?
Solution : 4.3.2.1 = 4! or 4P4

b) How many ways can the captain and

vice-captain be chosen?

Solution : 4.3 = 12 or 4P2

Arrangements or Permutatio
Eg 2. A flutter on the horses
There are 7 horses in a race.

a) In how many different orders can the horses finish?

Solution : 7.6.5.4.3.2.1 = 7! or 7P7
b) How many trifectas (1st , 2nd and 3rd) are possible?

Solution :7.6.5 = 210 or 7P3

Permutations with Restrictio
Eg. In how many ways can 5 boys and 4 girls be
arranged on a bench if

a) there are no restrictions?

Solution : 9! or 9P9
c) boys and girls alternate?

Solution : A boy will be on each end

BGBGBGBGB = 5  4  4  3  3  2  2  1  1
= 5!  4! or 5 P5  4P4
Permutations with Restrictio
Eg. In how many ways can 5 boys and 4 girls be
arranged on a bench if

c) boys and girls are in separate groups?

Solution : Boys  Girls or Girls  Boys

= 5!  4! + 4!  5! = 5!  4!  2
or 5P5  4P4  2
d) Anne and Jim wish to stay together?
Solution : (AJ) _ _ _ _ _ _ _
= 2  8! or 2  8P8
Arrangements with Repetitio
If we have n elements of which x are alike of one
kind, y are alike of another kind, z are alike of another
kind,
………… then the number of ordered selections or
permutations is given by:

n! .
x! y! z!
Arrangements with Repetitio
Eg.1 How many different arrangements of the word
PARRAMATTA are possible?
Solution : 10 letters but note repetition
(4 A’s, 2 R’s, 2 T’s)
P
A AAA No. of 10!
RR arrangements = 4! 2! 2!

M = 37 800
TT
Arrangements with Restrictio
Eg 1. How many arrangements of the letters of
the word REMAND are possible if:

a) there are no restrictions?

Solution : 6P6 = 720 or 6!

b) they begin with RE?

Solution : R E _ _ _ _ = 4P4 = 24 or 4!
c) they do not begin with RE?

Solution : Total - (b) =6! - 4! = 696

Arrangements with Restrictio
Eg 1. How many arrangements of the letters of
the word REMAND are possible if:

d) they have RE together in order?

Solution : (RE) _ _ _ _ = 5 P5 = 120 or 5!

e) they have REM together in any order?

Solution : (REM) _ _ _ = 3 P3 × 4P4 = 144

f) R, E and M are not to be together?

Solution : Total - (e) = 6! - 144 = 576
Arrangements with Restrictio
Eg 2. There are 6 boys who enter a boat with 8
seats, 4 on each side. In how many ways can

a) they sit anywhere?

Solution : 8P6
b) two boys A and B sit on the port side and another
boy W sit on the starboard side?
Solution : A  B = 4P2
W = 4P1
Others = 5P3

Total = 4P2  4P1  5P3

Arrangements with Restrictio
Eg 3. From the digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

a) how many numbers greater than 4 000 can be

formed?
Solution : 5 digits (any) = 5P5

4 digits (must start with digit  4) = P 1  4P

3

Total = 5P5 + 3P1  4P3

b) how many 4 digit numbers would be even?

Even (ends with 2, 4 or 6) = _ _ _ 3P1

= 4P3  3P1
 Circular Arrangements
Circular arrangements are permutations in which
objects are arranged in a circle.
Consider arranging 5 objects (a, b, c, d, e) around a
circular table. The arrangements
a abcde
bcdea
e bcdeab

deabc
d
c eabcd
are different in a line, but are identical around a
 Circular Arrangements
a
To calculate the number of ways
in which n objects can be
e b arranged in a circle, we arbitrarily
fix the position of one object, so
the remaining (n-1) objects can
d be arranged as if they were on a
c straight line in (n-1)! ways.

i.e. the number of arrangements = (n - 1)

in a circle
 Circular Arrangements
Eg 1. At a dinner party 6 men and 6 women sit at a
round table. In how many ways can they sit if:

a) there are no restrictions

Solution :
(12 - 1)! = 11!
b) men and women alternate

Solution : (6 - 1)!  6! = 5!  6!
 Circular Arrangements
Eg 1. At a dinner party 6 men and 6 women sit at a
round table. In how many ways can they sit if:

c) Ted and Carol must sit together

Solution : (TC)  other 10 = 2!  10!

d) Bob, Ted and Carol must sit together

Solution :(BTC)  other 9 = 3!  9!

 Circular Arrangements
Eg 1. At a dinner party 6 men and 6 women sit at a
round table. In how many ways can they sit if:

d) Neither Bob nor Carol can sit next to Ted.

Solution : Seat 2 of the other 9 people next t
Ted in (9  8) ways or 9P2

Then sit the remaining 9

people
(including Bob and Carol) in 9!
ways
Ways = (9  8)  9! or 9P2  9!
 Circular Arrangements

Eg 2. In how many ways can 8 differently

coloured beads be threaded on a string?

Solution :

As necklace can be turned over, clockwise and

anti-clockwise arrangements are the same

= (8-1)!  2 = 7!  2
 Unordered Selections
The number of different combinations (i.e. unordered
sets) of r objects from n distinct objects is represented
by :
No. of = number of permutations
Combinations
arrangements of r objects

and is denoted by
nCr = n Pr = n! _.
r! r! ( n - r)!
 Combinations
Eg 1. How many ways can a basketball team of 5
players be chosen from 8 players?

Solution :

8 C5
 Combinations
Eg 2. A committee of 5 people is to be chosen from
a group of 6 men and 4 women. How many
committees are possible if
a) there are no restrictions?
Solution : 10C5

b) one particular person must be chosen on the

committee?
Solution : 1  9C4
c) one particular woman must be excluded from the
committee?
Solution : 9 C5
 Combinations
Eg 2. A committee of 5 people is to be chosen from
a group of 6 men and 4 women. How many
committees are possible if:
d) there are to be 3 men and 2 women?
Solution :Men  Women = 6C3  4C2
e) there are to be men only?
Solution : 6C5
f) there is to be a majority of women?
Solution :
3 Women  2 men Or 4 Women  1 man
= 4C 3  6C 2 + 4C 4  6C 1
 Combinations
Eg 3. In a hand of poker, 5 cards are dealt from a
regular pack of 52 cards.

(i) What is the total possible number of hands if

there are no restrictions?

Solution :

52C5
 Combinations
Eg 3. In a hand of poker, 5 cards are dealt from a
regular pack of 52 cards.

ii) In how many of these hands are there:

a) 4 Kings?
Solution : 4 C4  48C1 or 1  48

b) 2 Clubs and 3 Hearts?

Solution : 13 C2  13C3
 Combinations
Eg 3. In a hand of poker, 5 cards are dealt from a
regular pack of 52 cards.

ii) In how many of these hands are there:

c) all Hearts?

Solution : 13C5

d) all the same colour?

olution : Red or Black 26 C5 + 26C5 =

=
 Combinations
Eg 3. In a hand of poker, 5 cards are dealt from a
regular pack of 52 cards.

ii) In how many of these hands are there:

e) four of the same kind?

Solution :
4 C4  48 C1  13 = 1  48  13

f) 3 Aces and two Kings?

Solution : 4C3  4C2

ther Permutations and Combinat
Eg.1 If 4 Maths books are selected from 6 different
Maths books and 3 English books are chosen from
5 different English books, how many ways can the
seven books be arranged on a shelf:

a) If there are no restrictions?

Solution : 6 C4  5C3  7!
c) If the 4 Maths books remain together?
Solution : = (MMMM) _ _ _

= 6 P4  5C3  4! or ( 6C4  4!)  5C3  4!

ther Permutations and Combinat
Eg.1 If 4 Maths books are selected from 6 different
Maths books and 3 English books are chosen from
5 different English books, how many ways can the
seven books be arranged on a shelf if:

c) a Maths book is at the beginning of

the shelf?

Solution : = M______

= 6  5C3  5C3  6!
ther Permutations and Combinat
Eg.1 If 4 Maths books are selected from 6 different
Maths books and 3 English books are chosen from
5 different English books, how many ways can the
seven books be arranged on a shelf if:

d) Maths and English books alternate

Solution : = MEMEMEM

= 6P4  5P3
ther Permutations and Combinat
Eg.1 If 4 Maths books are selected from 6 different
Maths books and 3 English books are chosen from
5 different English books, how many ways can the
seven books be arranged on a shelf if:

e) A Maths is at the beginning and an English book

is in the middle of the shelf.
Solution : M__ E___

= 6  5  5C3  4C2  5!
ther Permutations and Combinat
Eg 2. (i) How many different 8 letter words are
possible using the letters of the word
SYLLABUS ?

Solution : 2 S’s  2 L’s

Words = 8!__.
2!  2!
= 10 080
ther Permutations and Combinat
SYLLABUS = 10 080 permutations
(ii) If a word is chosen at random, find the probability
that the word:
a) contains the two S’s together
Solution : (SS) _ _ _ _ _ _ (Two L’s)

Words = 7!_ = Prob = 2520 = 1

2520 10080 4
b) begins and2!
ends with L

Solution : L______L (Two S’s)

Words = 6!_ = 360 Prob = 360 = 1

2! 10080 28