CAPITOL UNIVERSITY BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Senior High School Department

STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

MODULE 1: COUNTING TECHNIQUES

LESSON 1.3 – PERMUTATIONS WITH REPEATED
ELEMENTS & CIRCULAR PERMUTATION

OBJECTIVES:

In this module, you will be able to:

 Find the number of ways r objects can be selected from n objects using the
permutation rules; and
 Apply the counting principles in solving real-life problems.

PERMUTATION WITH REPEATED ELEMENTS

The total number of permutations of n objects of which n1 are similar, n2 are similar … nk
𝑛!
are similar is given by the expression where n1 + n2 + n3 + … + nk = n.
𝑛1 !…𝑛2 !..𝑛3 !..𝑛𝑘 !

EXAMPLES:

1. How many distinct ways can we arrange the letters in the word
MIDSHIPMAN?
Solution: There are 10 letters: 2 m’s, 2 i’s, 1 d, 1 s, 1 h, 1 p, 1 a, 1 n
𝟏𝟎!
𝟐!𝟐!
= 907, 200

2. Andy is arranging a string of Christmas lights in his room. He has 3 red, 4

orange and 2 green little Christmas-y light bulbs. How many distinct lighting
arrangements can he come up with for a string of nine Christmas lights?

Solution:

3. How many distinct arrangements exist for the word HALL?

Solution: There are 4 letters: 2 l’s, 1 h and 1 a

= 12
 CIRCULAR PERMUTATION

If n objects are arranged in a circle, then there are a total of (n – 1)! permutations.
Pn = (n – 1)!
Permutation in a circle is called Circular Permutation.

EXAMPLES:

1. In how many ways can you sit 8 people in a round table with 8 seats?
Solution: P8 = (8-1)! = 7! = 7•6•5•4•3•2•1 = 5 040 ways
2. In how many ways can 6 people be seated at a round table?
Solution: P6 = (6 – 1)! = 5! = 5•4•3•2•1 = 120 ways
3. Find the number of ways in which 5 people A, B, C, D and E can be seated at
a round table, such that A and B always sit together.
Solution:
a.) If we wish to seat A and B together in all arrangements, we can
consider these two as one unit, along with 3 others. So, effectively we have to
arrange 4 people in a circle.
P4 = (4 – 1)! = 3! = 3•2•1 = 6 ways
Let’s take a look at these arrangements:

But in each of these arrangements, A and B can interchange places in 2

ways. Therefore, the total number of ways will be 6 x 2 = 12.
Example of Circular Permutations with identical items:

4. Seven chairs are arranged around a circular table. There are 7 tan chairs, 4
white, and 1 blue. Find the number of arrangements of chairs.

Solution: n = 12

12−1 ! 11!
= = 330 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠
7! 4! 1! 7! 4! 1!
Example of Circular Permutations with Restriction:

5. Six girls and six boys are to sit around a large circular table. How many ways
can they sit if each boy must sit next to a girl and a boy sits first?

Solution: Boys = (6-1)! = 5! Girls = 6!

5! x 6! = 86, 400 ways