Exercise 29: Permutations with Repetitions and Restrictions

Objectives: Determine the number of permutations of n different objects taken r at a time

and use this to solve problems.

Lesson:

Definition: A permutation of a set of distinct objects is an arrangement of objects into a

specific order. To permute a set of objects means to rearrange them.

Example 1: Consider the word MISSISSIPPI.

If we werent worried about repetition, we would say that there are 11! ways to rearrange
the letters in the word MISSISSIPPI. There is a problem however, since we cannot tell
one S from the other. The same can be said about the I and the P.

How do we account for the repetition?

Recall that the 11! came from the Multiplication Principle. If we need to remove some
possibilities, we must divide those possibilities. (Recall the Superman-Kryptonite
example multiplication dies with division.) Lets remove the possibilities of repetition
by dividing out the number of ways each repeated letter could be arranged.

We can arrange S in 4! ways, the I in 4! ways and the P in 2! ways.

Thus, the number of distinguishable permutations of the letters in the word MISSISSIPPI
is
ways

Example 2: Consider the word CALCULUS.

How many distinguishable permutations can be made from the letters in CALCULUS?

We can arrange C in 2! ways, the L in 2! ways and the U in 2! ways.

= 7! = 5040 ways

Example 3: Consider the five digits: 31232

How many different numbers can be formed using these digits?

We can arrange 3 in 2! ways and the 2 in 2! ways.

= 30 different numbers

Generally, the number of distinguishable permutations of n objects of which n1 are

of one kind, n2 are of another kind, ,nk are of another kind is given by:

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Example 4: How many distinguishable permutations can be made from the letters of the
word BEGINNING?

n=9 I:n1 = 2G: n2 = 2 N: n3 = 3

= 15120

Example 5: How many different 5 digit numbers can be made by arranging the digits of
46164?

n=5 4: n1 = 2 6: n2 = 2

= 30

Example 6: On a 12 question multiple-choice test, three answers are A, three answers are
B, three answers are C, and three answers are D. How many different answer keys are
possible?

n = 12 A: n1 = 3 B: n2 = 3 C: n3 = 3 D: n4 = 3

= 369 600

Now lets look at some restrictions on the permutations.

Example 8: How many different arrangements can be made using the letters of the word
ALPHABET if the word must start with a B?

There are 8 letters in the word, but the 2 is repeated. We have no choice about the B.

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 1 = 2520

Example 9: Consider the name PATRICK.

a) How many four-letter words can be formed if repetitions are allowed?

7777 = 2401

b) How many four-letter words can be formed if repetitions are not allowed?

7654 = 840

For each of the following, assume no repetitions are allowed.

c) How many four-letter words start with a T?

1654 = 120

d) How many four-letter words start with vowels in the first two positions?

2154 = 40

e) How many four-letter words have vowels and consonants alternating?

Start with a vowel: 2514 = 40

Start with a consonant: 5241 = 40
Total: 80 words

f) How many four-letter words have only consonants?

5432 = 120 words

Example 10: Adam, Brent, Colin, David and Eric sit in a row. Adam and Brent insist on
sitting next to each other. In how many ways can these gentlemen be arranged in a row?

In this question, if Adam and Brent sit together, there are only four groups. So there are
4! ways to arrange these 4 groups. However, we must also consider that the order may
be Adam Brent or Brent Adam. We must double the number of ways:

4!2 = 48 ways

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Example 11: How many ways are possible if Adam and Brent insist that they do not sit
together?

The easiest way to think of this question is to consider the total number of ways that they
could sit and then subtract the numbers of ways that they could sit together that we found
in the last example.

5! 48 = 72 ways

In general, if objects are to be placed together, the arrangements can be counted by

taking the product of the factorial of the number of groups and the factorial of each
group.

Example 12: Five people, A, B, C, D, and E are seated on a bench. In how many ways
can they be seated if:

a. A and B wish to be seated together?

There are 4 groups: AB, C, D and E. Their factorials are 2!, 1!, 1! and 1!

4! 2! 1! 1! 1! = 48 ways

b. A and B must not be together?

5! 48 = 72 ways

c. A and C sit together, and B and E sit together also?

There are 3 groups: AC, BE, and D. Their factorials are 2!, 2! and 1!

3! 2! 2! 1! = 24 ways

Homework: Exercise 29

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