WorkSHEET 11.

2 Combinatorics Name: ____________________________

1 If there are 12 competitors in an 800 m race, in 12  11  10 = 1320 ways

how many ways can the first three places be
filled?

2 In our base 10 number system, how many four

digit numbers are composed entirely of:
(a) even digits? (a) 4 5  5  5 = 500 numbers
(b) odd digits? (b) 5 5  5  5 = 625 numbers
(c) digits 8 and 9? (c) 2  2  2  2 = 16 numbers

3 n
P2 n
P2
Solve for n: 7 7
8 8
n!
 56
n  2 !
n n  1n  2 !
 56
n  2 !
n 2  n  56
n 2  n  56  0
n  8n  7   0
n  8 or n  7
Only n  8 is feasible.

4 The letters of the word ‘MATHEMATICS’ are

to be arranged in a row. 11!
(a) In how many ways can this be done? (a)  4 989 600 ways
2! 2 ! 2!
10!
(b) How many of these arrangements have (b)  907 200 ways
the As together? 2! 2!
(c) How many arrangements have the Ms 11! 10!
separated? (c)   4 082 400 ways
2!2!2! 2!2!

5 (a) How many ways can 10 people be (a) (10  1)! = 9!

arranged around a circular table? = 362 880 ways
(b) If 2 people insist on sitting together, how (b) (9  1)! 2! = 8! 2!
many ways are now possible? = 80 640 ways

Maths Quest 11 Mathematical Methods 2nd Ed. Page 1 of 3

6 A circular ferris wheel is to be constructed with
16 individual carriages. The four red carriages
are indistinguishable, as are the six blue and the
two yellow. 16  1 !  15!
(a) How many different ways could the ferris (a) 4 !6 ! 2 ! 4 !6 ! 2 !
wheel be constructed?
= 37 837 800 ways
(b) How many of these would have the blue 11 1 !6! 10!
(b) =
carriages together? 4 !6 ! 2 ! 4!2!
= 75 600 ways

7 How many ways can the letters of the word 2!8!

‘statistics’ be arranged in a row with the ‘i’s Number of arrangements =
3!3!2 !
being on the ends?
= 1120 ways

8 (a) A committee of 5 must be chosen from 9

candidates. How many combinations are (a) Number of combinations = 9C5
possible? 9!
=
5! 4 !
= 126
(b) The 9 candidates consist of 5 women and
(c) Number of combinations
4 men. How many committees of 5 that
= 5C3 . 4C2 + 5C4 . 4C1 + 5C5 . 4C0
contain at least 3 women can be formed?
= 10  6 + 5  4 + 1  1
= 60 + 20 + 1
= 81

9 Seven students are to be arranged in a row. Pr(Mary and Louise will be together)
What is the probability that Mary and Louise Number of arrangemen ts together
will be together? =
Total number of arrangemen ts
6!2!
=
7!
2
=
7

Maths Quest 11 Mathematical Methods 2nd Ed. Page 2 of 3

10 Two small boxes, as shown below, contain
black cards (B) and red cards (R).

Box X Box Y
7 black cards 5 black cards
5 red cards 3 red cards

A box is randomly selected, then from that box

a card is randomly selected. (a) Pr(choosing black card from Box X)
(a) What is the probability of choosing a = Pr(box X and B)
black card from Box X? 1
C 7
C
= 2 1  12 1
C1 C1
1 7
= 
2 12
7
=
24
(b) What is the probability of choosing a (b) Pr(choosing black card from Box Y)
black card from Box Y? = Pr(Box Y and B)
1 5
C C
= 2 18 1
C1 C1
1 5

28
5

16
(c) What is the probability of choosing a (c) Pr(black card)
black card? = Pr(Box X and B) or Pr(Box Y or B)
7 5
= 
24 16
14 15
= 
48 48
29
=
48

Maths Quest 11 Mathematical Methods 2nd Ed. Page 3 of 3