Sec 3.

4 – Counting formulae
Number of
outcomes in A

Use counting
Classical formulae to find
𝑵 𝑨 N(A) and N(S)
definition 𝑷 𝑨 =
of 𝑵 𝑺 when the values
probability are large or
experiments are
Number of complex.
outcomes in the
sample space
Counting Rules: 1) Addition rule

2) Multiplication rule

3) Factorials

4) Permutations

5) Combinations
 Addition rule
Either can be You can do
Experiment 1
done in one or the
can be done
(n1 + n2) different other but not
in n1 ways
ways both (at the
same time)

Multiplication rule
Experiment 2
can be done Both can be You can/will do
in n2 ways done in both (at the
(n1 x n2) same time)
different ways
 Example You have 3 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of boots.
How many outfits can you make using this footwear?

Addition
rule
Experiment 1:
Pick a pair of shoes You can only pick
shoes OR pick boots
𝑛1 = 3 to wear… 𝑛1 + 𝑛2
Experiment 2: =3+2
…you can do =5
Pick a pair of boots
EITHER exp.
𝑛2 = 2
3 pairs of shoes 2 pairs of boots

3+2=5
 You have 3 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of socks.
Example
How many outfits can you make?

Multiplication
Experiment 1: rule
Pick a pair of shoes
𝑛1 = 3 You can pick BOTH
𝑛1 × 𝑛2
shoes and socks to
Experiment 2: wear =3×2
=6
Pick a pair of socks
𝑛2 = 2
 Start

Exp. 1

Exp. 2

1 2 3 4 5 6
 You need to choose a 4 digit pin code for your safe.
Example You have the following numbers to choose from:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
How many possible codes can you choose from?

There are 4 experiments

.
exp. 1: pick the 1st digit

exp. 2: pick the 2nd digit We will do all so

use…
exp. 3: pick the 3rd digit
Multiplication
rule
exp. 4: pick the 4th digit
If digits can be repeated… Let each ball represent a possible number.

Exp. 1: Exp. 2: Exp. 3: Exp. 4:

Choose from 6 Choose from 6 Choose from 6 Choose from 6
balls balls balls. balls
n1=6 n2=6 n3=6 n4=6

• Remove the ball. • Remove the ball. • Remove the ball.

• Record the value. • Record the value. • Record the value.
• Return to box. • Return to box. • Return to box.
• Remove the ball.
𝑛1 × 𝑛2 × 𝑛3 × 𝑛4 = 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 = 64 • Record the value.
 Without all the explanations
If digits can be repeated… given on the previous slide.
Total number of
pin codes.

Number of possibilities
for each position of the 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 = 1296
digits
0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1
Actual possibilities for 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
each position of the
4 4 4 4
digits 5 5 5 5
 If digits cannot be repeated…

Exp. 3: Exp. 4:
Exp. 2: 4 balls to 3 balls to
Exp. 1: 5 balls to choose from choose from
n1=6 choose from n3=4 n4=3
n2=5

• Remove the ball.

• Remove the ball. • Remove the ball. • Record the value.
• Record value. • Record the value. • Do not put it back
• Do not put it back • Do not put it back
• Remove the ball.
• Record the value.
𝑛1 × 𝑛2 × 𝑛3 × 𝑛4 = 6×5×4×3
 Without all the explanations
If digits cannot be repeated… given on the previous slide.

Number of possibilities for

each position of the digits
6 × 5 × 4× 3
____ ____ ____ ____ = 360 possible pin codes

Second position:
First position: Any of the
Any number remaining 5
from 0 to 5 numbers.
 Factorial Notation

How many different

ways can you arrange
n objects in a row?
! 2 objects:
2x1=2!

3 objects:
3x2x1=3!
n Experiments: 4 objects:
4x3x2x1=4!
Exp. 1 – pick which item goes in the 1st
position n objects:
n x (n-1) x (n-2) x… x 3 x 2 x 1 = n !
Exp. 2 – pick which item goes in the 2nd
position
Define: 0! = 1 and 1! = 1
etc
 Permutations and Combinations

You have n items.

You want to pick r
Order matters: of them.
Order does not
“Permutations” matter:
How many “Combinations”
different ways can
𝒏! you do this? 𝒏!
𝒏𝑷𝒓 = 𝒏𝑪𝒓 =
(𝒏 − 𝒓)! 𝒏 − 𝒓 ! 𝒓!
𝑛
Most common notation: There is no line between the n
𝑟 and the r – it is not a fraction.
 Order matters… what does that mean?

1st picked:
wins a holiday How many
Suppose you have to Spain
4 people. different
You will pick 2. outcomes
2nd picked : are there?
wins a holiday to
A B C D Cape Town
 Cape
Options Spain Are these the same?
Town

1 NO !
2
3
1st line:
A goes to Spain and C goes to
4
Cape Town
5
6 2nd line:
7 C goes to Spain and A goes to
8 Cape Town
9
10 4!
Order
11 Permutation 𝑛𝑃𝑟 = = 12
matters 2!
12
 Order does not matter… what does that mean?

1st picked :
wins a holiday to
Suppose you have How many
Spain
4 people. different
You will pick 2. outcomes
2nd picked :
also wins a are there?
A B C D holiday to Spain
Options Spain Spain Are these the same?

Yes !
1
1st line:
A goes to Spain and C goes to
2
Spain

3 2nd line:
C goes to Spain and A goes to
4 Spain

5 Order 4!
does not Combination 𝑛𝐶𝑟 = =6
2! 2!
6 matter
Example How many different 5-digit phone numbers be created from
the numbers: 1, 2, 3, …, 9
if digits must not be repeated?

36409
Are these phone Order matters:
numbers the same? NO Permutation
36490

Alternative: Use the 9𝑃5 = 15120

multiplication rule.

9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 = 15120
 Example 2 How many different 5-card hands can be drawn from a deck of 52 cards?

Suppose the 5 cards are dealt in

this order: ♦♥♣♠ “Standard deck”
4 Suits
3♦ , 4♣ , Q♣ , 8♠ , 8♥ Each suit has
1(Ace), 2, …, 10, 13 kinds
Jack, Queen,
King
Is this a different hand if it is dealt
in this order:
3♦ , Q♣ , 8♠ , 4♣, 8♥
52!
No Order doesn’t matter 52 𝐶 5 =
47! × 5!
 A batch of 20 computers contains 3 that are faulty. Four
Example 3 computers are selected at random from this batch. What is
the probability that only 1 of the computer is faulty?

A = get 3 n’s and 1 f

𝑁 𝐴
Pick 4 𝑃 𝐴 =
3f 𝑁 𝑆
17 n
Combinations 20
𝑁 𝑆 =
4
 Out of the 3
Exp. 1: pick 1 f 3
Look at this as 𝑛1 = faulty we are
1
2 experiments. getting 1.
Exp. 2: pick 3 n’s

Out of the 17
17
𝑛2 = non-faulty we
3
are getting 3.
𝑁 𝐴 = 𝑁 1 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑑 3 𝑛′ 𝑠
3 17
= ×
1 3
We are doing both experiments.
Use multiplication rule.
A = get 3 n’s and 1 f

𝑁 𝐴
𝑃 𝐴 =
𝑁 𝑆

3 17
×
= 1 3
20
Pick 4 4
3f

17 n = 0.421
A batch of 20 computers contains 3 that are faulty. Four computers are
selected at random from this batch.
What is the probability that at least 2 of the computers are faulty?

B = get at least 2 f’s

𝑁 𝐵
𝑃 𝐵 =
𝑁 𝑆

20
𝑁 𝑆 =
4
B = get at least 2 f’s

𝑁 𝐵 = 𝑁 2 𝑓 ′ 𝑠 or 3 𝑓 ′ 𝑠 or 4 𝑓 ′ 𝑠

= 𝑁 2 𝑓 ′𝑠 + 𝑁 3 𝑓 ′𝑠 + 𝑁 4 𝑓 ′𝑠

= 𝑁 2 𝑓 ′ 𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 2 𝑛′ 𝑠 + 𝑁 3 𝑓 ′ 𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 1 𝑛 + 𝑁 4 𝑓 ′ 𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑛′ 𝑠

3 17 0
×
2 2 3 17 since there
× are only 3 f’s
3 1
B = get at least 2 f’s

3 17 3 17
𝑁 𝐵 × + ×
𝑃 𝐵 = = 2 2 3 1
𝑁 𝑆
20
4

3f
Pick 4
17 n
 Counting Formulae

= FACT ( number )

= PERMUT( number ; number_chosen )

= COMBIN(number ; number_chosen )