Solved questions on Permutation & combination

1. From a group of 7 men and 6 women, five persons are to be selected to form a committee so that at least 3 men are there on the committee. In how many ways can it be done? A.564 B. 645 C. 735 D.756 E. None of these Answer: Option D Explanation: We may have (3 men and 2 women) or (4 men and 1 woman) or (5 men only). Required = (7C3 x 6C2) + (7C4 x 6C1) + (7C5) number of ways 7x6x5 6x5 = x + (7C3 x 6C1) + (7C2) 3x2x1 2x1 7x6x5 7x6 = 525 + x6 + 3x2x1 2x1 = (525 + 210 + 21) = 756. In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'LEADING' be arranged in such a way 2. that the vowels always come together? A.360 B. 480 C. 720 D.5040 E. None of these

Answer: Option C Explanation: The word 'LEADING' has 7 different letters. When the vowels EAI are always together, they can be supposed to form one letter. Then, we have to arrange the letters LNDG (EAI). Now, 5 (4 + 1 = 5) letters can be arranged in 5! = 120 ways. The vowels (EAI) can be arranged among themselves in 3! = 6 ways. Required number of ways = (120 x 6) = 720. 3. In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'CORPORATION' be arranged so that the vowels always come together? A.810 B. 1440 C. 2880 D.50400

E. 5760

Answer: Option D Explanation: In the word 'CORPORATION', we treat the vowels OOAIO as one letter. Thus, we have CRPRTN (OOAIO). This has 7 (6 + 1) letters of which R occurs 2 times and the rest are different. 7! Number of ways arranging these letters = = 2520. 2! Now, 5 vowels in which O occurs 3 times and the rest are different, can be arranged 5! in = 20 ways. 3! Required number of ways = (2520 x 20) = 50400.

4. Out of 7 consonants and 4 vowels, how many words of 3 consonants and 2 vowels can be formed? A.210 B. 1050 C. 25200 D.21400 E. None of these

Answer: Option C Explanation: Number of ways of selecting (3 consonants out of 7) and (2 vowels out of 4) = (7C3 x 4C2) 7x6x5 4x3 = x 3x2x1 2x1 = 210. Number of groups, each having 3 consonants and 2 vowels = 210. Each group contains 5 letters. Number of ways of arranging = 5! 5 letters among themselves =5x4x3x2x1

= 120. Required number of ways = (210 x 120) = 25200. In how many ways can the letters of the word 'LEADER' be arranged? A.72 B. 144 C. 360 D.720 E. None of these

Answer: Option C Explanation: The word 'LEADER' contains 6 letters, namely 1L, 2E, 1A, 1D and 1R. Required number of ways = 6! = 360. (1!)(2!)(1!)(1!)(1!)

6. 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? A.159 B. 194 C. 205 D.209 E. None of these Answer: Option D Explanation: We may have (1 boy and 3 girls) or (2 boys and 2 girls) or (3 boys and 1 girl) or (4 boys). Required number 6 = ( C1 x 4C3) + (6C2 x 4C2) + (6C3 x 4C1) + (6C4) of ways = (6C1 x 4C1) + (6C2 x 4C2) + (6C3 x 4C1) + (6C2) 6x5 4x3 6x5x4 6x5 = (6 x 4) + x + x4 + 2x1 2x1 3x2x1 2x1 = (24 + 90 + 80 + 15) = 209. 7. How many 3-digit numbers can be formed from the digits 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9, which are divisible by 5 and none of the digits is repeated? A.5 B. 10 C. 15 D.20

Answer: Option D Explanation:

Since each desired number is divisible by 5, so we must have 5 at the unit place. So, there is 1 way of doing it. The tens place can now be filled by any of the remaining 5 digits (2, 3, 6, 7, 9). So, there are 5 ways of filling the tens place. The hundreds place can now be filled by any of the remaining 4 digits. So, there are 4 ways of filling it. Required number of numbers = (1 x 5 x 4) = 20.

8. In how many ways a committee, consisting of 5 men and 6 women can be formed from 8 men and 10 women? A.266 B. 5040 C. 11760 D.86400 E. None of these

Answer: Option C Explanation: Required number of ways= (8C5 x 10C6) = (8C3 x 10C4) 8 x 7 x 6 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x = 3x2x1 4x3x2x1 = 11760. 9. A box contains 2 white balls, 3 black balls and 4 red balls. In how many ways can 3 balls be drawn from the box, if at least one black ball is to be included in the draw? A.32 B. 48 C. 64 D.96 E. None of these

Answer: Option C Explanation: We may have(1 black and 2 non-black) or (2 black and 1 non-black) or (3 black). Required number of ways= (3C1 x 6C2) + (3C2 x 6C1) + (3C3) 6x5 3x2 = 3x + x6 +1 2x1 2x1 = (45 + 18 + 1) = 64.

10. In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'DETAIL' be arranged in such a way that the vowels occupy only the odd positions? A.32 B. 48 C. 36 D.60 E. 120

Answer: Option C Explanation: There are 6 letters in the given word, out of which there are 3 vowels and 3 consonants. Let us mark these positions as under: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Now, 3 vowels can be placed at any of the three places out 4, marked 1, 3, 5. Number of ways of arranging the vowels = 3P3 = 3! = 6. Also, the 3 consonants can be arranged at the remaining 3 positions. Number of ways of these arrangements = 3P3 = 3! = 6. Total number of ways = (6 x 6) = 36. 11. In how many ways can a group of 5 men and 2 women be made out of a total of 7 men and 3 women? A.63 B. 90 C. 126 D.45 E. 135

Answer: Option A Explanation: Required number of ways = (7C5 x 3C2) = (7C2 x 3C1) = 7x6 x 3 = 63. 2x1

12. 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? A.40 B. 400 C. 5040 D.2520

Answer: Option C

Explanation: 'LOGARITHMS' contains 10 different letters. Required number of words

= Number of arrangements of 10 letters, taking 4 at a time. = 10P4 = (10 x 9 x 8 x 7) = 5040. In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'MATHEMATICS' be arranged so that the vowels always come together? A.10080 B. 4989600 C. 120960 D.None of these

13.

Answer: Option C Explanation: In the word 'MATHEMATICS', we treat the vowels AEAI as one letter. Thus, we have MTHMTCS (AEAI). Now, we have to arrange 8 letters, out of which M occurs twice, T occurs twice and the rest are different. Number of ways of arranging these letters = 8! = 10080. (2!)(2!)

Now, AEAI has 4 letters in which A occurs 2 times and the rest are different. 4! Number of ways of arranging these letters = = 12. 2! Required number of words = (10080 x 12) = 120960.

14. In how many different ways can the letters of the word 'OPTICAL' be arranged so that the vowels always come together? A.120 B. 720 C. 4320 D.2160 E. None of these

Answer: Option B Explanation:

The word 'OPTICAL' contains 7 different letters. When the vowels OIA are always together, they can be supposed to form one letter. Then, we have to arrange the letters PTCL (OIA). Now, 5 letters can be arranged in 5! = 120 ways. The vowels (OIA) can be arranged among themselves in 3! = 6 ways. Required number of ways = (120 x 6) = 720.

Example 15 A letter lock consists of three rings each marked with 10 different letters. In how many ways is it possible to make an unsuccessful attempt to open the block? Solution: Two rings may have same letter at a time but same ring cannot have two letters at time, therefore, we must proceed ring wise. Each of the three rings can have any one of the 10 different letters in 10 ways. Therefore Total number of attempts = 10 10 10 = 1000. But out of these 1000 attempts only one attempt is successful. Therefore Required number of unsuccessful attempts = 1000 - 1 = 999.

Example 16 Find the total number of signals that can be made by five flags of different colour when any number of them may be used in any signal. Solution: Case I : When only one flag is used. No. of signals made = 5P1 = 5. Case II : When only two flag is used. Number of signals made = 5P2 = 5.4 = 20. Case III : When only three flags are used. Number of signals is made = 5P3 = 5.4.3 = 60. Case IV : When only four flags are used.

Number of signals made = 5P4 = 5.4.3.2 = 120. Case V : When five flags are used. Number of signals made = 5P5 = 5! = 120.

Hence, required number = 5 + 20 + 60 + 120 + 120 = 325. Example 17 Prove that if each of the m points in one straight line be joined to each of the n points on the other straight line, the excluding the points on the given two lines. Number of points of intersection of these lines is 1/4 mn (m-1(n-1). Solution: To get one point of intersection we need two points on the first line and two points on the second line. These can be selected out of npoints in nC2 ways and for m points in mC2 ways. Therefore Required number = mC2 nC2 = (m(m-1))/2! . (n(n-1))/2! = 1/4 m n (m - 1)(n - 1)