PERMUTATIONS
Permutations
Permutation is an arrangement of things called
elements with a definite order.
Principle:
If a thing can be done in h1 ways and if, after it has
been done, a second thing can be done in h2
ways, then the two things can be done in h1h2
ways in the indicated order.
Example:
In the Philippines, automobile license-plates
contain three different letters and three
different digits. How many license plates
can be made following such inscription?
(Assume no digit and no letter is repeated.)
Example:
Solution:
There are 26 letters; hence, the first of the three
letters can be chosen in 26 ways. Since the two
succeeding letter must be different, the second
can be chosen in 25 ways and the third in 24
ways. Similarly, the first digit can be selected in
10 ways, the second in 9 ways, and the third in 8
ways. Hence, from the three letters and three
digits, 26 25 24 10 9 8 = 11,232,000
license plates can be made.
Example:
1)How many ways are there to select a first-prize
winner, a second-prize winner and a third-prize
winner from 100 different people who have entered
a contest?
2) Suppose that a saleswoman has to visit eight
different cities. She must begin her trip to a specified
city, but she can visit the other seven cities in any
order she wishes. How many possible orders can the
saleswoman use when visiting those cities?
A. Permutation of n different elements
taken at r at a time, nPr
𝑛!
𝑛P𝑟 =
𝑛−𝑟 !
Example: For letters a,b,c the number of
permutation taken 2 at a time is,
Solution:
3!
3 P2 = = 6 ways
3−2 !
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation
taken 2 at a time is,
Another Solution:
ab, ba, ac, ca, bc, cb = 6 ways
Example:
In a game, ten players which are numbered
from 1 to 10 compete for the first three
slots in the game. In how many ways can the
numbers be arranged 3 at a time?
Solution:
10! 10∗9∗8∗7∗6∗5∗4∗3∗2∗1
P=
10 3 = =
10−3 ! 7∗6∗5∗4∗3∗2∗1
720ways
B. Permutation of n different elements
taken all (r=n) at a time, P=n!
𝑛P𝑛 = n!
Example:
Find the number of five-digit numbers that
can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5 if no digit is repeated.
Solution:
Five elements taken five at a time
5 P5= 5! = 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1 = 120 ways
B. Permutation of n different elements
taken all (r=n) at a time, P=n!
𝑛P𝑛 = n!
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation
taken all at a time is,
Solution:
3P3= 3! = 6 ways
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation taken
all at a time is,
Another Solution:
abc, acb, bca, bac, cab, cba = 6 ways
Or by Fundamental Principle,
N! = n(n-1)(n-2)..
3 2 1 = 6 ways
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
𝑛! 𝑛!
𝑛P(𝑛 − s) = =
(𝑛− 𝑛−𝑠) ! s!
Where s is the number of time the element is
repeated in the set.
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
𝑛! 𝑛!
𝑛P(𝑛 − s) = =
(𝑛− 𝑛−𝑠) ! s!
Where s is the number of time the element is
repeated in the set.
Example:
Consider the word “green”, there are 5
elements namely g,r,e,e,n, with e appearing
twice.
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
Thus some of the permutations are:
Green
Grnee
Gnree
Neerg
Since n =5 and s=2, then the total number of
permutations is
𝑛! 5!
nPn-s = = = 60 ways
s! 2!
Theorem of permutation of like
elements,
𝑛!
𝑃=
𝑛1 ! 𝑛2 ! 𝑛3 ! … 𝑛k !
Where:
𝑛1 , 𝑛2 , 𝑛3 , 𝑛k = number of elements which are alike
𝑛 = Total number of elements in a given set
Example:
1. In how many ways can the letters of the word
“Philippines” be arranged?
2. “committee”
D. Cyclic Permutations
If the permutation of an element is such that
each element is adjacent to each others (as
in round table), we have a cyclic or circular
or ring permutation. The number of cyclic
permutations of n elements is (n-1)!
D. Cyclic Permutations
Example:
In how many different ways can 12 beads be
strung on a necklace?
Solution:
(n-1)! = (12-1)! = 39,916,800 ways
COMBINATION
Combinations (C)
It is the selection of things considered without regard
to order
Grouping of things where arrangement is immaterial.
Arrangement without definite order
Combinations (C)
1. The number of combinations of n elements taken r at a
time, nCr.
𝑛!
𝑛𝐶𝑟 =
𝑟! 𝑛 − 𝑟 !
2. The number of combinations of n elements taken all at
a time.
𝑛! 𝑟!
𝑛𝐶𝑟 = = = 1 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑟 = 𝑛
𝑟! 𝑛 − 𝑟 ! 𝑟! r − 𝑟 !
3. The number of combinations of n things taken 1, 2, 3,
… n at a time is
𝐶 = 2𝑛 − 1
Combinations: Example
1. In one of the games of Ginebra with San Miguel,
they only had seven able players due to injury. In
how many ways can the first 5 be chosen?
Given:
n=7
r=5
𝑛!
Solution: 𝑛𝐶𝑟 = 𝑟! 𝑛−𝑟 !
Combinations: Example
2. In how many ways can 3 boys be drawn from 20?
Given:
n = 20
r=3
Combinations: Example
3. A man wishes to employ 4 men and 2 women. In how
many ways can be the selection be made if 10 men
and 6 women are available?
4. In a group of 10 boys and 15 girls, how many
selections of 6 students are possible?
Combinations: Example
5. What if the selection must consist of 2 boys and 4
girls, how many selection are possible?
6. A bicycle shop owner has 12 mountain bikes in the
showroom. The owner wishes to select 5 of them to
display at a bicycle show. How many different ways can
a group of 5 be selected?
