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Intro 1.

Fundamental Counting Principle, Permutations and Combinations

Problem #1
After going back-to-school shopping, you buy 3 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, and 2 pairs of shoes.
How many possible outfits can you make with your new clothes?
Support your answer through words, pictures, or lists.
Problem #2
How many different ways can Walt, Jesse, and Saul sit in two chairs?
(Only 2 people will be seated at a time. One person will be left out.)
Support your answer through words, pictures, or lists.
Problem #3
Dr. Marks needs 2 students to be part of a new Math Committee. Mr. Doyle gives her the
names of the three students used for problem #2. How many possible 2 person committees can
be created from that group of 3 students?
Support your answer through words, pictures, or lists.

Notes 1.1

Fundamental Counting Principle, Permutations and Combinations

Problem #1

FUNDAMENTAL COUNTING PRINCIPLE


When
You

Ex 1a: A restaurant offers a special in which you can choose one each from 3 appetizers, 7
entrees, and 5 desserts. How many different meals are available for the special?

Ex 1b: The standard configuration for a Texas license plate is 1 letter followed by 2 digits
followed by 3 letters.
i.

ii.

How many different license plates are possible if letters and digits can be repeated?

How many different license plates are possible if letters and digits cannot be repeated?

Problem #2

PERMUTATION
When
You

Ex 2: Ten teams are competing in the final round of the Olympic four-person bobsledding
competition.
i.

In how many ways can 3 of the bobsledding teams finish first, second, and
third to win the gold, silver, and bronze medals?

ii.

In how many ways can ALL the bobsledding teams finish the competition?

Problem #3

COMBINATION
When
You

Ex 2a: Your teacher must choose four students from the 25 students in class to represent your
school in the next Its Academic Bowl. How many different combinations of 4 students can the
teacher choose?

Ex 2b: A standard deck of 52 playing cards has 4 suits with 13 different cards in each suit.
i.

How many different 5-card hands are possible?

ii.

In how many 5-card hands are all 5 cards spades?

iii.

In how many 5-card hands are all 5 cards red?

Practice 1.1

Fundamental Counting Principle, Permutations and Combinations

1. For a civil trial, 5 people out of a panel of 11 people must be


chosen to deliberate as jurors. How many different groups of 5
jurors could be selected from the panel of 11 people?
2. Alfredo is getting dressed. He only has 4 clean shirts, 3 pairs of
clean pants and 2 pairs of clean socks. How many possible outfits
can Alfredo create consisting of 1 shirt, 1 pair of pants and 1 pair
of socks?
3. A florist needs to put her flowers in a display case. If she has 7
types of flowers to display, how many ways can she display them?
4. A horserace has 10 entries. How many ways can the horses
finish first, second, and third?
5. How many ways can a committee of 4 be chosen from 10
people?
6. The positions of President, VP, and Secretary have to be filled
from a committee of 16. How many ways can the offices be filled?

7. 6 friends are lining up to buy tickets for a concert. How many


ways can the friends line up?
8. Bridget needs to change her computer password. Her
password must be exactly 6 characters long with no repeated
characters. If each character can be chosen from the English
alphabet or from the digits 1-9, how many possible password
choices does she have?

9. The US Postal Services recommends that all pieces of mail have


on it the correct nine-digit zip code. If the first digit cannot be
0, how many possible zip codes are there?
10. Which situation(s) below represent a single combination?
A. The arrangement of 8 books on a shelf.
B. A scientific study wants to select five babies out of 30 possible
in a maternity ward.
C. A basketball team must select one center, two forwards, and
two guards for their starting lineup from a roster of three
centers, four forwards, and five guards.
D.The number of ways 6 people can be seated at a round table
if 2 people must be seated next to each other.
E. The letters r,s,t,v,w are used to form 5-letter passwords for a
security system.
F. Samantha must study 7 out of 10 different animal types and
study 3 out of 4 medical techniques in order to be classified a
resident zoologist.
G.Twenty polar bears finishing first, second, and third in an
Arctic beauty pageant.
H.A seven person committee selected from the junior class.
11. Ten students are competing in a talent show. First-, second-,
and third-place prizes will be awarded, and four students will

receive an honorable mention prize. How many ways are there to


award the prizes?

12.

EXPLAIN why is the following NOT possible?

Practice 1.1 ANSWERS


Combinations
1. 462
2. 24
3. 5040
4. 720
5. 210
6. 3,360
7. 720
8. 1,168,675,200
9. 16,329,600
10.B and H
11.25,200
12.(answers vary)

P7

Fundamental Counting Principle, Permutations and

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