PERMUTATION BASICS

Let’s say there are 3 people and 3 seats.

Seat A can occupy 3 possible people, B can occupy 2 people, and C and occupy one person.
With that in mind, the equation for the number of permutations (arrangements) for the 3 people are 3!
= 3 x 2 x 1 = 6.

With 5 people and 5 chairs = 5! = 120.

PERMUTATION FORMULA

Let’s say there are 5 people and 3 chairs.

The formula to this would be:

N = Arrangeable things
K = things to arrange to

nPk = n!/(n-k)! = 5!/(5-3)! = 5!/2! = 5x4x3 = 60.

10 people, 5 chairs

10P5 = 10!/5!

COMBINATIONS BASICS

ABCD and BCDA count as differing permutations, however

ABCD and BCDA count as similar combinations.

The number of combinations = number of permutations/k! (things to arrange to)

This is proven following the concept above.

COMBINATION FORMULA

The number of combinations = number of permutations/k! (things to arrange to)

Therefore,

nCk =( n!/(n-k)!)/k!
= n!/(n-k)! X 1/k!
= n!/k!(n-k)!

As an example, 6 people need to be sat on 4 seats

- In permutations, 6P4 = n!/(n-k)! = 6!/2! = 360 ways
- In combinations, 6C4 = 360/4! = 15 ways