COMBINATION

Example #1:

In how many ways can a committee of 4 be chosen from a group of 8 people?

Solution:
8!
8 C4 = = 70
4!4!

Example #2:

In how many ways can we select 2 spades and 3 diamonds from a deck of 52 card?

Solution

The number of ways in which we can select 2 from the 13 spades is

13!
13C2= = 78
11!2!

And the number of ways in which we can select 3 from the 13 diamonds is
13!
13C3= = 286
10!3!

By the Fundamental Principle of Counting, the total number of selection is

13C2*13C3= (78)(286)=22,308

Example#3:

A box contains 5 red, 4 blue and 3 white balls, In how many ways can we select 3 balls such that

a. They are of different colors?

b. They are all red?
c. Two are blue and one is white?
d. Exactly 2 are blue?
e. None is blue?
Solution:

a. 5C1 * 4C1 * 3C1= (5) (4)(3)= 60

b. 5C3=10

c. 4C2*3C1= (6) (3)=18

d. 4 2*8 1 (6) (8)=48
C C =
e. 8C3=56

Example#4:

Referring to the box in example 3 in how many ways can we select 4 balls that at least 2 are red?

Solution:

(1) 2 red and 2 white or blue

(2) 3 red and 1 white or blue
(3) 4 red and 0 white or blue

For (1) 5C2 * 7C2 = (10)(21) =210

For(2) 5C3 * 7C1 = (10)(7) =70
For (3) 5C4* 7C0= (5)(1) =5
Total= 210+70+5=285

Example #5

In how many ways can we select a committee of 3 from group of 10 distinct person?

Since a committee is an unordered group of people the answer is,

10.9.8
C(10,3) = = 120
3!

Example #6:

In how many ways can we select a committee of two women and three men from a group of five distinct
women and 6 distinct men?

As an example #5 we find that the two women can be selected in

5!
5C2= = 10
2!2!

Ways and that the three men can be selected in

6!
6C3= = 20
3!3!
Ways. The committee can be constructed in two successive steps: Select the women;select the men. By
the multiple principle, the total number of committes is

10*20=200

Example#7:

In how many eight bit strings contain exactly four 1s?

An eight bit string containing four 1s is uniquely determined once we tell which bits are 1. This can be
done in

Solution:
8!
8C4 = 4!4! = 70

Example#8

How many combinations of three digit numbers are possible with the digits 3,5,1?

Solution
8! 3!
3C3==
3!(33)!
= 3!(0!) = 1

Example #9

In how many ways can a choreographer select 5 dancers from a dance troupe of 30 members?

Solution:
30! 30!
30C5== = 5!25! = 142 506
5!(305)!

Example# 10

Find the number of ways of selecting 3 applicants from 8 equally qualified job applicants

Solution:
8! 8!
8C3==
3!(83)!
= 3!5! = 56