What Is Permutation?

A permutation is an arrangement, or listing, of objects in which the order is

important. In previous lessons, we looked at examples of the number of
permutations of n things taken n at a time. Permutation is used when we are
counting without replacement and the order matters. If the order does not
matter then we can use combinations.

The following diagrams give the formulas for Permutation, Combination, and
Permutation with Repeated Symbols. Scroll down the page with more examples
and step by step solutions.
What Is The Permutation Formula?

In general P(n, r) means that the number of permutations of n things taken r at

a time. We can either use reasoning to solve these types of permutation
problems or we can use the permutation formula.

The formula for permutation is

Example:

A license plate begins with three letters. If the possible letters are A, B, C, D and
E, how many different permutations of these letters can be made if no letter is
used more than once?

Solution:
Using reasoning:
For the first letter, there are 5 possible choices. After that letter is chosen, there
are 4 possible choices. Finally, there are 3 possible choices.
5 × 4 × 3 = 60

Using the permutation formula:

The problem involves 5 things (A, B, C, D, E) taken 3 at a time.

There are 60 different permutations for the license plate.

How To Use The Permutation Formula To Solve Word Problems?

Example:
1. In how many ways can a president, a treasurer and a secretary be chosen
from among 7 candidates?

Solution:

Using reasoning:
For the first position, there are 7 possible choices. After that candidate is
chosen, there are 6 possible choices. Finally, there are 5 possible choices.
7 × 6 × 5 = 210

Using the permutation formula:

The problem involves 7 candidates taken 3 at a time.

There are 210 possible ways to choose a president, a treasurer and a secretary
be chosen from among 7 candidates

Example:
2. A zip code contains 5 digits. How many different zip codes can be made
with the digits 0–9 if no digit is used more than once and the first digit is not 0?

Solution:
Using reasoning:
For the first position, there are 9 possible choices (since 0 is not allowed). After
that number is chosen, there are 9 possible choices (since 0 is now allowed).
Then, there are 8 possible choices, 7 possible choices and 6 possible choices.
9 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 = 27,216
Using the permutation formula:
We can’t include the first digit in the formula because 0 is not allowed.
For the first position, there are 9 possible choices (since 0 is not allowed). For
the next 4 positions, we are selecting from 9 digits.

Formulas For Permutation Combination

Permutation:

The different arrangements of a given number of things by taking some or all at a time,
are called permutations. This is denoted by nPr.
  Permutations are studied in almost every branch of mathematics, and in many
other fields of science. In computer science, they are used for analyzing sorting
algorithms.

Combination:

Each of the different groups or selections which can be formed by taking some or all of
a number of objects is called a combination. This is denoted by ncr.
Formula for Permutation and Combination

 Number of all permutations of n things, taken r at a time, is given by

^n P_r = \frac{n!}{(n-r)!}nPr=(n−r)!n!
 Number of all combinations of n things, taken r at a time, is given by
^n C_r = \frac{n!}{(r)! (n-r)!}nCr=(r)!(n−r)!n!

Points to remember

 Factorial of any negative quantity is not valid.

 If a particular thing can be done in m ways and another thing can be done in n
ways, then
o Either one of the two can be done in m + n ways and
 o Both of them can be done in m × n ways
 0! = 1
 1! = 1
 If from the total set of n objects and ‘p1’ are of one kind and ‘p2’ and ‘p3’ and so on
…. till pr are others respectively then
^n P_r = \frac{n!}{p_1 ! × q_2 ! × …….  p_r !}nPr=p1!×q2!×……. pr!n!
 n
Pn = n!
 n
cn = 1
 n
c0 = 1
 n
cr = nc(n-r)
 n
c0+nc1+nc2+nc3+…ncn = 2n
Permutation and Combinations Formulas- Factorial

n ! = n(n-1)(n-2) …… 1

Eg. – 5! = 5(5-1)(5-2)(5-3)(5-4) = 5(4)(3)(2)(1)

Standard Truths

 0! = 1
 n! only exists of n >= 0 and doesn’t exist for n < 0

n n!
0 1
1 1
2 2
3 6
4 24
5 120
6 720
7 5 040
8 40,320
9 362 880
10 3 628 800