FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

OF COUNTING

If one thing can occur in m ways, and each of

the m ways can occur in n ways and each n
ways can occur in r ways and so on, then the
sequence of all the things can occur in
𝒎 x 𝒏 x 𝒓 x …ways
EXAMPLE 1:

How many three-digit numbers can be

formed from the numbers 5, 7, and 4

a. when repetition of digit is allowed?

b. when repetition of digit is not allowed?
 EXAMPLE 2:
A car license plate number starts with three letters
from English Alphabet and is followed by three
numbers. How many car plates can be produced by
the Land Transportation Office

a. when repetition of letters and numbers are

allowed?
b. when repetition of letters only is allowed?
c. when repetition of numbers only is allowed?
d. when repetition of letters and numbers are not
allowed?
EXAMPLE 3:
In how many ways can 7 persons be seated
in 9 chairs?

EXAMPLE 4:

How many 3-digit odd numbers can be

formed from the digits 1,2,3 and 4 if no
digits are to be repeated?
FACTORIAL NOTATION

The product of the positive integers from 1

to 𝒏 inclusive occurs very often in
mathematics and hence it is denoted by 𝒏!
(read as “n” factorial” )
FACTORIAL NOTATION
Definition:
𝒏! = 𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 … (𝒏 − 𝟐)(𝒏 − 𝟏)(𝒏)

EXAMPLES:
1. 𝟐! = 𝟏 𝟐 = 𝟐
2. 𝟑! = 𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 = 𝟔
3. 𝟒! = 𝟏 𝟐 𝟑 𝟒 = 𝟐𝟒
FACTORIAL NOTATION

EXAMPLES:
𝟕! (𝟏)(𝟐)(𝟑)(𝟒)(𝟓)(𝟔)(𝟕)
4. = = 𝟐𝟏𝟎
𝟒! (𝟏)(𝟐)(𝟑)(𝟒)

𝟖! (𝟏)(𝟐)(𝟑)(𝟒)(𝟓)(𝟔)(𝟕)(𝟖)
5. = = 𝟓𝟔
𝟔! (𝟏)(𝟐)(𝟑)(𝟒)(𝟓)(𝟔)