PERMUTATION AND

COMBINATION
BY- NIRBHAY SINGH
CLASS- 11’A’
 Fundamental Principles of Counting
1. Multiplication Principle

. If first operation can be performed in m ways

and then a second operation can be
performed in n ways. Then, the two
operations taken together can be performed
in mn ways. This can be extended to any finite
number of operations.
 2. Addition Principle
. If first operation can be performed in m ways
and another operation, which is independent
of the first, can be performed in n ways. Then,
either of the two operations can be performed
in m + n ways. This can be extended to any
finite number of exclusive events.
 Factorial
• Factorials are just products. An exclamation
mark indicates the factorial. Factorial is a
multiplication operation of natural numbers
with all the natural numbers that are less than
it. In this article, let’s discuss the factorial
definition, formula and examples.For any
natural number n, we define factorial as n ! or
n = n(n – 1)(n – 2) … 3 x 2 x 1 and 0!= 1!= 1
 Permutation
• Each of the different arrangement which can
be made by taking some or all of a number of
things is called a permutation.
• Mathematically -The number of ways of
arranging n distinct objects in a row taking r (0
≤ r ≤ n) at a time is denoted by P(n ,r)
Properties of Permutation
 Important Results on’Permutation
• 1. The number of permutations of n different
things taken r at a time, allowing repetitions is nr.
• 2. The number of permutations of n different
things taken all at a time is nPn= n! .
• 3. The number of permutations of n things taken
all at a time, in which p are alike of one kind, q
are alike of second kind and r are alike of third
kind and rest are different is n!/(p!q!r!)
• 4. The number of permutations of n things of which
p1 are alike of one kind p2 are alike of second kind,
p3 are alike of third kind,…, Pr are alike of rth kind
such that p1 + p2 + p3 +…+pr = n is n!/P1!P2!P3!
….Pr!
• 5. Number of permutations of n different things
taken r at a time, when a particular thing is to be
included in each arrangement is r.n – 1Pr – 1. when
a particular thing is always excluded, then number
of arrangements = n – 1Pr.
• 6. Number of permutations of n different
things taken all at a time, when m specified
things always come together is m!(n – m + 1)!.
• 7. Number of permutations of n different
things taken all at a time, when m specified
things never come together is n! – m! x (n – m
+ 1)!. ngs always come together is m!(n – m +
1)!.
 Division into Groups
• (i) The number of ways in which (m + n)
different things can be divided into two groups
which contain m and n things respectively [(m
+ n)!/m ! n !]. This can be extended to (m + n +
p) different things divided into three groups of
m, n, p things respectively [(m + n + p)!/m!n!
p!].
• (ii) The number of ways of dividing 2n
different elements into two groups of n
objects each is [(2n)!/(n!)2] , when the
distinction can be made between the groups,
i.e., if the order of group is important. This can
be extended to 3n different elements into 3
groups is [(3n)!/((n!)3].
• (iii) The number of ways of dividing 2n
different elements into two groups of n object
when no distinction can be made between the
groups i.e., order of the group is not important
is [(2n)!/2!(n!)2].
• This can be extended to 3n different elements
into 3 groups is
• [(3n)!/3!(n!)3].
• (iv) The number of ways in which mn different
things can be divided equally it into m groups,
if order of the group is not important is
• [(mn)
• (v) If the order of the group is important, then
number of ways of dividing mn different things
equally into m distinct groups is mn
• [(mn)!/(n!)m] !/(n!)m m!].
• (vi) The number of ways of dividing n different
things into r groups is [rn — rC1(r — 1)n +
rC2(r — 2)n — rC3(r – 3)n + …].
• (vii) The number of ways of dividing n
different things into r groups taking into
account the order of the groups and also the
order of things in each group is n+r-1Pn = r(r +
l)(r + 2) … (r + n – 1).
• (viii) The number of ways of dividing n
identical things among r persons such that
each gets 1, 2, 3, … or k things is the
coefficient of xn – r in the expansion of
• (1 + x + x^2 + … + X^k-1)^r.
 Circular Permutation
• In a circular permutation, firstly we fix the
position of one of the objects and then
arrange the other objects in all possible ways.
• (i) Number of circular permutations at a time
is (n -1)!. If clockwise taken as different. of n
and different things taken anti-clockwise
orders all are
• (ii) Number of circular permutations of n
different things taken all at a time, when
clockwise or anti-clockwise order is not
different 1/2(n – 1)!.
• (iii) Number of circular permutations of n
different things taken r at a time, when
clockwise or anti-clockwise orders are take as
different is nPr/r.
• (iv) Number of circular permutations of n
different things taken r at a time, when
clockwise or anti-clockwise orders are not
different is nPr/2r.
• (v) If we mark numbers 1 to n on chairs in a
round table, then n persons sitting around
table is n!.
 EXAMPLE
• In how many ways 6 children can be arranged in a line, such that
• (i) Two particular children of them are always together
• (ii) Two particular children of them are never together
• Solution:
• (i) The given condition states that 2 students need to be together, hence
we can consider them 1.
• Thus, the remaining 7 gives the arrangement in 5! ways, i.e. 120.
• Also, the two children in a line can be arranged in 2! Ways.
• Hence, the total number of arrangements will be,
• 5! × 2! = 120 × 2 = 240 ways
• (ii) The total number of arrangements of 6 children will be 6!, i.e. 720 ways.
• Out of the total arrangement, we know that two particular children when
together can be arranged in 240 ways.
• Therefore, total arrangement of children in which two particular children
are never together will be 720 – 240 ways, i.e. 480 ways.
 Combination
• Each of the different groups or selections
which can be made by some or all of a
number of given things without reference to
the order of the things in each group is called
a combination
• Mathematically - The number of combinations
of n different things taken r at a time is
Properties of Combination
Important Results on Combination
• The number of combinations of n different things
taken r at a time allowing repetitions is n + r – 1Cr
• The number of ways of dividing n identical things
among r persons such that each one gets at least
one is n – 1Cr – 1.
• The total number of combinations of n different
objects taken r at a time in which (a) m particular
objects are excluded = n – mCr (b) m particular
objects are included = n – mCr – 1
• The total number of ways of dividing n
identical items among r persons, each one of
whom can receive 0, 1, 2 or more items (≤ n) is
n + r – 1Cr – 1
• The number of ways in which n identical items
can be divided into r groups so that no group
contains less than in items and more than k(m
< k) is coefficient of xn in the expansion of (xm
+ xm + 1 +….+ xk)r.
• The total number of ways of selection of some
or all of n things at a time is nC1 + nC2 +….+
nn1 = 2n — 1.
• The number of selections of r objects out of n
identical objects is 1.
• Total number of selections of zero or more
objects from n identical objects is n + 1.
 Important Points to be Remembered 1.
Function
• (i) If a set A has m elements and set B has n
elements, then
• (a) number of functions from A to B is nm
• (b) number of one-one function from A to B is
nPm, m ≤ n.
• (c) number of onto functions from A to B is nm
— nC1(n — 1)m + nC2(n — 2)m…..; m ≤ n.
• (d) number of increasing (decreasing)
functions from A to B is nCm, m ≤ n.
• (e) number of non-increasing (non-decreasing)
functions from A to B is m + n – 1Cm .
• (f) number of bijective (one-one onto)
functions from A to B is n !, if m = n.
• (ii) Number of permutations of n different
objects taken r at a time in which m particular
objects are always
• (a) excluded = n – mPr
• (b) included = n – mPr – m x r!
 2. Geometry
• 1. Given, n distinct points in the plane, no
three of which are collinear, then the number
of line segments formed = nC2.
• 2. Given. ii distinct paints in the p)ane. in
which m are collinear (m ≥ 3), then the
number of line segments is (nC2 – mC2) + 1.
• 3. Given, n distinct points in the plane, no
three of which are collinear, then the number
of triangle formed = nC3
• 4. Given, n distinct points in a plane, in which m
are collinear (m ≥ 3), then the number of
triangle formed = nC3 — mC3
• 5. The number of diagonals in a n-sided closed
polygon = nC2 — n.
• 6. Given, n points on the circumference of a
circle, then
• (a) number of straight lines = nC2
• (b) number of triangles = nC3
• (c) number of quadrilaterals = nC4
 Integral Solutions
• 1. The number of integral solutions of x1+ x2 +
….+ xr = n, where x1, x2, … xr ≥ 0 is n + r – 1Cr
– 1.
• 2. Number of integral solutions of x1+ x2 +….+
xr = n, where x1, x2, … xr ≥ 1 is n – 1Cr – 1
 Sum of Digits
• 1. Sum of the numbers formed by taking all
the given n digits = (Sum of all the n digits) x (n
— 1)! x (111… 1)n times.
• 2. The sum of all digits in the unit place of all
numbers formed with the help of ai , a2, , an
all at a time is (n — 1)!(a1 + a1 + …. + an).
• 3. The sum of all digits of numbers that can be
formed by using the digits a1, a2,… , an
(repetition of digits is not allowed (n — 1)! (a1
+ a1 + … + an)((10n – 1)/9)
 Example
• A group of 3 lawn tennis players S, T, U.
A team consisting of 2 players is to be
formed. In how many ways can we do so?
• Solution- In a combination problem, we know
that the order of arrangement or selection
does not matter.
• Thus ST= TS, TU = UT, and SU=US.
• Thus we have 3 ways of team selection.
• By combination formula we have-
• 3C2 = 3!/2! (3-2)!
• = (3.2.1)/(2.1.1) =3