Math 10

PERMUTATIONS
When the order DOES matter
There are basically two types of permutation:
Permutations with Repetition

These are the easiest to calculate.
When a thing has n different types ... we have n choices each time!
For example: choosing 3 of those things, the permutations are:
n×n×n
(n multiplied 3 times)
More generally: choosing r of something that has n different types, the permutations

are:
n × n × ... (r times)
(In other words, there are n possibilities for the first choice, THEN there
are n possibilites for the second choice, and so on, multplying each time.)
Which is easier to write down using an exponent of r:
n × n × ... (r times) = nr
Example:
in the lock above, there are 10 numbers to choose from (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) and we
choose 3 of them:
10 × 10 × ... (3 times) = 103 = 1,000 permutations
So, the formula is simply:

nr
where n is the number of things to choose from,
and we choose r of them,
repetition is allowed,
and order matters.
Permutations without Repetition
In this case, we have to reduce the number of available choices each time.
Without repetition our choices get reduced each time.
Instead of writing the whole formula, people use different notations such as these:
Example:
How many ways can first and second place be awarded to 10 people?
10! 10! 3,628,800

= = = 90
(10-2)! 8! 40,320
(which is just the same as: 10 × 9 = 90)
Combination
When the order doesn't matter
There are also two types of combinations (remember the order

does not matter now):
Combinations without Repetition
This is how lotteries work. The numbers are drawn one at a time, and if we have the
lucky numbers (no matter what order) we win!
The easiest way to explain it is to:

 Assume that the order does matter (ie. permutations),
 Then alter it so the order does not matter.
Example: Pool Balls (without order)

So, our pool ball example (now without order) is:
Or we could do it this way:
It is interesting to also note how this formula is nice and symmetrical:
In other words choosing 3 balls out of 16, or choosing 13 balls out of 16 have the same
number of combinations.
Dorothy A. Tolentino
10 – Sagittarius
Excercises
1. How many permutations of 3 different digits are there, chosen from the ten digits 0 to 9
inclusive?
2. How many permutations of 4 different letters are there, chosen from the twenty six letters of
the alphabet?
3. How many different committees of 5 people can be chosen from 10 people?
4. Jones is the Chairman of a committee. In how many ways can a committee of 5 be chosen
from 10 people given that Jones must be one of them?
5. A special type of password consists of four different letters of the alphabet, where each letter is used
only once. How many different possible passwords are there?
6. A password consists of two letters of the alphabet followed by three digits chosen from 0 to 9.
Repeats are allowed.
How many different possible passwords are there?
7. An encyclopedia has eight volumes. In how many ways can the eight volumes be replaced on the
shelf?
8. Assuming that any arrangement of letters forms a 'word', how many 'words' of any length can be
formed from the letters of the word SQUARE?
(No repeating of letters)
9. 16 teams enter a competition. They are divided up into four Pools (A, B, C and D) of four teams each.
Every team plays one match against the other teams in its Pool.
After the Pool matches are completed:
• the winner of Pool A plays the second placed team of Pool B
• the winner of Pool B plays the second placed team of Pool A
• the winner of Pool C plays the second placed team of Pool D
• the winner of Pool D plays the second placed team of Pool C
The winners of these four matches then play semi-finals, and the winners of the semi-finals play in the
final.
How many matches are played altogether?
10. A restaurant offers 5 choices of appetizer, 10 choices of main meal and 4 choices of dessert. A
customer can choose to eat just one course, or two different courses, or all three courses. Assuming all
choices are available, how many different possible meals does the restaurant offer?
Key to Correction
1. The number of permutations of 3 digits chosen from 10 is 10P3
= 10!/(10 - 3)!
= 10 × 9 × 8
= 720
2. The number of permutations of 4 letters chosen from
26 is 26P4 = 26 × 25 × 24 × 23 = 358,800
3. In choosing a committee, order doesn't matter; so we need the number of
combinations of 5 people chosen from 10
= 10C5
= 10!/(5!)(5!)
= (10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6)/(5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1)
= 30,240/120
= 252
4. Jones is already chosen, so we need to choose another 4 from 9.

In choosing a committee, order doesn't matter; so we need the number of
combinations of 4 people chosen from 9
= 9C4
= 9!/(4!)(5!)
= (9 × 8 × 7 × 6)/(4 × 3 × 2 × 1)
= 3,024/24
= 126
5. The number of permutations of 4 letters chosen from
26 is 26P4 = 26 × 25 × 24 × 23 = 358,800

6. The number of ways of choosing the letters = 26 × 26 = 676
The number of ways of choosing the digits = 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000
So, using the Basic Counting Principle, the number of possible passwords
= 676 × 1,000
= 676,000

7. Imagine there are 8 spots on the shelf. Replace the volumes one by one.
The first volume to be replaced could go in any one of the eight spots.
The second volume to be replaced could then go in any one of the seven
remaining spots.
The third volume to be replaced could then go in any one of the six remaining
spots.
etc
So the total number of ways the eight volumes could be replaced
= 8!
=8×7×6×5×4×3×2×1
= 40,320
8. The number of one letter 'words' = 6P1 = 6

The number of two letter 'words' = 6P2 = 6 × 5 = 30
The number of three letter 'words' = 6P3 = 6 × 5 × 4 = 120
The number of four letter 'words' = 6P4 = 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 = 360
The number of five letter 'words' = 6P5 = 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 = 720
The number of six letter 'words' = 6P6 = 6! = 720
So the total number of possible 'words' = 6 + 30 + 120 + 360 + 720 + 720 =

1,956
9. The number of matches played in each Pool is "4 choose 2" = 4C2 = 4!/(2!2!) =
(4 × 3)/(2 × 1) = 6
Why "4 choose 2"? Because you are choosing 2 teams to play each other out
of 4 (in the pool). Order does not matter (A plays B is the same as B plays A).
Imagine 4 teams (A,B,C,D):
A plays B
A plays C
A plays D
B plays C
B plays D
C plays D
They each get to play each other, 6 games in total
With 4 pools, the total number of Pool matches = 4 × 6 = 24
The winners and second placed teams play a further 4 matches.
Then there are 2 semi-finals and 1 final
So the total number of matches = 24 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 31
10. A person who eats only an appetizer has 5 choices.

A person who eats only a main meal has 10 choices.
A person who eats only a dessert has 4 choices.
A person who eats an appetizer and a main meal has 5 × 10 = 50 choices.

A person who eats an appetizer and a dessert has 5 × 4 = 20 choices.
A person who eats a main meal and a dessert has 10 × 4 = 40 choices.
A person who eats all three courses has 5 × 10 × 4 = 200 choices
So the total number of possible meals = 5 + 10 + 4 + 50 + 20 + 40 + 200 = 329
Here is another way to calculate it:
Including "none" as an option, there are 6 choices of appetizer, 11 choices of

main meal and 5 choices of dessert. Thus the total number of choices is 6 × 11
× 5 = 330
One of these is not a meal though (no appetizer, no main meal and no
dessert), so there are 329 possible meals.

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PERMUTATIONS

When the order DOES matter

There are basically two types of permutation:

Permutations with Repetition

When a thing has n different types ... we have n choices each time!

For example: choosing 3 of those things, the permutations are:

More generally: choosing r of something that has n different types, the permutations

Which is easier to write down using an exponent of r:

n × n × ... (r times) = nr

10 × 10 × ... (3 times) = 103 = 1,000 permutations

So, the formula is simply:

Without repetition our choices get reduced each time.

10! 10! 3,628,800

(which is just the same as: 10 × 9 = 90)

There are also two types of combinations (remember the order

The easiest way to explain it is to:

Example: Pool Balls (without order)

Or we could do it this way:

It is interesting to also note how this formula is nice and symmetrical:

3. How many different committees of 5 people can be chosen from 10 people?

4. Jones is already chosen, so we need to choose another 4 from 9.

8. The number of one letter 'words' = 6P1 = 6

So the total number of possible 'words' = 6 + 30 + 120 + 360 + 720 + 720 =

10. A person who eats only an appetizer has 5 choices.

A person who eats an appetizer and a main meal has 5 × 10 = 50 choices.

A person who eats all three courses has 5 × 10 × 4 = 200 choices

So the total number of possible meals = 5 + 10 + 4 + 50 + 20 + 40 + 200 = 329

Here is another way to calculate it:

Including "none" as an option, there are 6 choices of appetizer, 11 choices of

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