Topic 5.

5: Combinatorics
USFP Maths for Science B
Daniel Guo

Blue textbook Chapter 6

Contents
• Factorials
• Counting principle
• Arrangement in a line
• Arrangement in a circle
• Permutations
• Grouping
• Identical objects
• Combinations
• Probability
• Pigeonhole principle

Last edited: 4/05/2023

We introduce factorial notation:

Example 1
Simplify the following (don’t use a calculator):
4!

10!
7!

𝑛+2 !
𝑛−1 !

𝑛!
𝑛−𝑟 !

1 1
−
8! 10!

1 1
+
𝑛! 𝑛+1 !
Counting Principle Blue textbook Ex 6.1

The fundamental counting principle (‘multiplication principle’) states that:

Example 2
There are 3 fruits (banana, orange, apple) and 4 vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrot, tomato) on a table. If you
need to choose one of each, the total number of selections is ____.

Example 3
A number plate on a car has 2 letters, followed by 4 numbers. How many different number plates are
possible?

Example 4
A restaurant serves 5 different types of entree, 12 main courses and 6 desserts.
a) If I order any combination of entree, main course and dessert at random, how many different
combinations are possible?
b) If my friend makes 3 guesses at which combination I will order, what is the probability that she will
guess correctly?

Example 5
a) How many six-digit numbers can be formed entirely from odd digits?
b) How many of these numbers contain at least one seven?
Arrangement in a Line
We can extend the ‘counting principle’ to arranging 𝑛 objects in a line.
The number of ways to arrange 𝑛 objects in a line is 𝑛!

Example 6
a) How many ways can the letters in NUMBER be arranged?
b) How many begin with N?
c) How many begin with N and end with U?
d) In how many will the N be to the left of U?

Example 7
a) How many five-digit numbers can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5?
b) How many of these numbers are bigger than 45321?
c) How many of these numbers are less than 45321?
d) How many odd five-digit numbers can be formed?

Example 8
Eight people form two queues, with four in each queue. Albert must stand on the left queue, Beth
must stand on the right queue, while Charles and Diana must stand in the same queue. How many
ways are there of lining up?
Arrangement in a Circle Blue textbook Ex 6.3

There are fewer ways of arranging in a circle, because of rotational symmetry.

Example 9
Arthur, Bob, Chris, Dirk and Eve sit around a round table. Find in how many ways this can be done:
a) without restriction
b) if Bob sits at Arthur’s right hand
c) if Chris sits between Eve and Bob
d) if Arthur and Eve do not sit together

Example 10
Five boys and five girls sit around a table. Find in how many ways this can be done:
a) without restriction
b) if the boys and girls alternate
c) if there are five couples, all of whom sit together
d) if the boys sit together and the girls sit together
e) if four couples sit together, but Tom and Jane do not.
Example 11
The letters A, E, I, P, Q and R are arranged in a circle. Find the probability that
a) The vowels are together
b) A is opposite R
c) The vowels and consonants alternate
d) At least two vowels are next to one another
Example 12
In how many ways can 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 be placed in a circle if
a) There are no restrictions
b) All the even numbers are together
c) The odd and even numbers alternate
d) At least three odd numbers are together
Permutations Blue textbook Ex 6.3

A permutation is if you have 𝑛 objects and you want to fill up 𝑟 spaces (and order is important).
The number of ways you can do this is
𝑛 𝑛!
𝑃𝑟 =
𝑛−𝑟 !
For example, you have 4 books and 3 spaces on your bookshelf. There are 4 books you can place on the
first space, then 3 books, then 2 books.

Example 13
How many arrangements of the letters of the word FRIEND are possible if the letters are taken:
a) Four at a time?
b) Six at a time?

Example 14
You are making a number from the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, without repetition.
a) How many nine-digit numbers can you make?
b) How many three-digit numbers can you make?
c) You are allowed repetition. How many three digit numbers can you make?
Example 15
To win a trifecta bet in a race, a person has to pick the horses that come first,
second and third in the race, in the correct order. If a race has 9 horses, how
many different trifecta bets are possible?

Example 16
When you use an ATM, you have to enter a four-digit PIN (where repetitions are
allowed, and you can start with 0). How many PINs:
a) Are possible?
b) Consist of four distinct digits?
c) Consist of odd digits only?
d) Start and end with the same digit?
Grouping Blue textbook Ex 6.3

In some problems, objects must be grouped together to satisfy restrictions.

Example 17
How many seven-letter words can be formed from the letters A, B, C, D, E, F,
G if the vowels must be separated by at least one consonant?

Example 18
How many ways can 3 different Maths books, 6 different Science books and 4
different English books be placed on a shelf, if the subjects must be
separate?
Example 19
a) How many seven-letter words can be formed with the letters in INCLUDE?
b) How many of these end in L?
c) How many have the vowels and consonants alternating?
d) How many have the C immediately following the D?
e) How many have the letters N and D separated by exactly two letters?
f) How many have the letters N and D separated by more than two letters?
Ex 6.3
Identical Objects Blue textbook Ex 6.4

The number of ways of arranging 𝑛 objects in a line, where there are 𝑝 copies of the
same object, 𝑞 copies of another object, …, is
𝑛!
𝑝! 𝑞! …
Generally, this holds in other situations as well—divide your answer by 𝑝! … etc.

Example 20
How many ways can the letters of MAMMAL be arranged?

Example 21
How many ways can 3 identical cups and 5 identical glasses be arranged in a row?
Sometimes, a more difficult question can only be answered by cases (or maybe not).

Example 22
How many six-letter words can be formed using the letters in PRESSES?

Example 23
How many five-letter words can be formed using the letters of the word BANANA?

Example 24
How many arrangements of the letters of the word TRANSITION are possible if:
a) There are no restrictions
b) The I’s are together
c) The I’s are together, and so are the N’s, and the T’s.
d) The vowels are together
Example 25
How many arrangements are there of the letters in GUMTREE if:
a) There are no restrictions
b) The Es are together
c) The Es are separated by one letter
d) The Es are separated by two letters
e) The G is somewhere between the two Es
f) The M is to the left of both Es and the U is somewhere between the Es
Ex 6.4
Combinations Blue textbook Ex 6.5

A combination is when you have 𝑛 objects and want to select 𝑟 of them. The
number of ways to do this is
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛!
𝐶𝑟 = =
𝑟 𝑛 − 𝑟 ! 𝑟!
In other words, it is a permutation where order is not important.

Example 26
You have four tennis players. How many ways can you choose a pair?

Example 27
a) A committee of 5 people is formed at random from a group of 15 students.
In how many different ways can the committee be formed?
b) If the group consists of 9 senior and 6 junior students, in how many ways
can the committee be formed if it is to have 3 senior and 2 junior students
in it?
Example 28
Simplify (without calculator)
12
0
12
1
12
4
𝑛
𝑛

Example 29
Find 𝑛 if 𝑛3 = 𝑛
5
Example 30
From a deck of playing cards, how many five-card hands can be dealt:
a) Consisting of black cards only
b) Consisting of diamonds only
c) Containing 4 kings
d) Consisting of three diamonds and two clubs
e) Consisting of three 2s and another pair
f) Consisting of a full house

Example 31
Twelve people arrive at a restaurant. There is one table for six, one table for
four and one table for two. How many ways can they be assigned to a table?
Probability Blue textbook Ex 6.6

Now we finally connect our knowledge of counting techniques with finding the probability of events.
number of successes
Probability =
sample space
Example 32
Three cards are dealt from a pack of 52.
a) Find the probability that one club and two hearts are dealt, in any order.
b) Find the probability that one club and two hearts are dealt, in that order.

Example 33
A five-digit number is chosen at random. Find the probability that:
a) It is at least 60 000
b) It consists only of even digits
c) The digits are distinct
d) The digits are distinct and in increasing order
e) It contains at least one four
f) It contains at least one four and at least one five
g) It contains exactly three sevens
h) It contains at least three sevens
Example 33 (continued)
A five-digit number is chosen at random. Find the probability that:
a) It is at least 60 000
b) It consists only of even digits
c) The digits are distinct
d) The digits are distinct and in increasing order
e) It contains at least one four
f) It contains at least one four and at least one five
g) It contains exactly three sevens
h) It contains at least three sevens
Example 35
A family of five are seated in a row at the cinema. Find the probability that:
a) The parents are at the ends and the children are in the middle
b) The parents sit next to one another

Example 36
The letters of KETTLE are arranged in a row. Find the probability that:
a) The E’s are together
b) The E’s are not together
c) The E’s are together and the T’s are together
d) The E’s and T’s are all together
Example 37
A poker hand of five cards is dealt from a pack of 52. Find the probability of
obtaining:
a) One pair
b) Two pairs
c) Three of a kind
d) A straight
e) A flush
f) A full house
g) Four of a kind
h) A royal flush
Pigeonhole Principle
If 𝑛 + 1 pigeons are placed into 𝑛 pigeonholes, then at least one pigeonhole must contain at least 2 pigeons.
𝑛
If 𝑛 pigeons are placed into 𝑘 pigeonholes (𝑛 > 𝑘), then at least one pigeonhole must contain at least pigeons.
𝑘

Example 38
a) A bag contains green, black, yellow, white and red jellybeans. How many jellybeans do I have to take out to
get at least two of the same colour?
b) How many students does a school need to have, if we want 2 students to have the same birthday?
c) A duck hides each egg she lays in one of five different locations. If she lays 16 eggs, can she be sure some
location holds at least 4 eggs?

Example 39
A group of 117 people rated a TV show from 1 to 5. Find 𝑟 if there were at least 𝑟 people who gave the same
rating.