YTO MATHS CENTRE

Permutations with/without Restrictions

 YTO MATHS CENTRE

Permutations & Combinations

Part 2 (Permutations with/without Restrictions)

Using symbol (nPr)

Examples

1. P2
3

2. P3
6

3. P3
8

10!
4. 10
P4 and
6!

Exercises

1. P2
7

2. P5
6

3. P4
9

10!
4. a. 10
P4 and
6!

15!
b. 15
P7 and
8!

7!
c. P3 and
7
4!
9!
d. P7 and
9
2!

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11!
e. 11
P5 and
6!

f. What do you notice after passing through a to e?

5. How many zeros are there at the end of 18P10?

Permutation : an ordered arrangement of a set of objects

Combinations : a combination is all about grouping

Examples

1. There are 6 apples in a bag. How many ways can these apples be
arranged in a row?

2. There are 6 apples in a bag. How many ways can a group of 4 apples be
formed?

3. There are 6 apples in a bag. How many ways can 4 out of these apples
be arranged in a row?

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Permutations
Examples

1. Lulu bought a set meal which comprises a burger, a packet of fries and
a drink. If the order of eating is important, find the number of ways that
she can finish the set meal.

2. Mark needs to travel from Country A to Country C. He can choose to

travel by aeroplane or ferry. Find the number of ways that he can travel
from Country A to Country C if

(a) there are 3 available flights and 2 available ferry rides from
Country A to Country C,

(b) there are 3 available flights from Country A to Country B and 2

available ferry rides from Country B to Country C.

3. There are 5 roads joining A to B and 3 roads joining B to C. Find how

many different routes there are from A to C via B.

4. A man has three choices of the way in which he travels to work; he can
walk, go by car or go by train. In how many different ways can he
arrange his travel for the 5 working days in the week?

5. Evaluate

6! 7!
(a) 2×4! (b) 4!×2!

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Exercises

1. During a badminton competition, there are 2 players representing each

school. There are 16 players altogether. Each player plays a game with
every other player except the player from the same school. How many
games will they play altogether?

2. Amelia wants to arrange 5 different soft toys side by side in a row. Find
the number of ways that she can arrange them.

3. In how many ways can a group of ten children be arranged in a line?

4. In how many ways can eight different books be arranged on a

bookshelf?

5. In how many different ways can the letters of the word THURSDAY be
arranged?

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Arrangements with Restrictions

Examples
1. Two boys Benson, Benny and three girls Grace, Gloria, Georgia are to be
seated in a row according to the following rules:
1) Grace must sit next to Gloria.
2) There is no 3 consecutive girls.
If S is the number of different such seating arrangements, find the value
of S.

2. 5 students Henry, Stephen, Paul, Charles and Mike line in 1 single file to
take a group photo. If Charles has to be in between of Paul and Mike,
how many different ways are there to arrange them?

3. Three boys Bobby, Benson, Benny and three girls Grace, Gloria, Georgia
are to be seated in a row. Given that a boy will not sit next to another
boy and a girl will not sit next to another girl. Find the number of the
combination(s) satisfying the above condition.

4. Two boys Benson, Benny and three girls Grace, Gloria, Georgia are to be
seated in a row according to the following rules:
1) A boy will not sit next to another boy and a girl will not sit next to
another girl,
2) Benson must not sit next to Georgia.
If S is the number of different such seating arrangements, find the value
of S.

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Exercises
1. 5 students Henry, Stephen, Paul, Charles and Mike line in 1 single file to
take a group photo. If Charles has to be in left of Paul (not necessarily
adjacent), how many different ways are there to arrange them?
2. 10 girls are to be seated in a row. Among all of them, Arkari will sit at
the leftmost position and Kathy will sit at the rightmost position. Find
the number of the combination(s) satisfying the above condition.
3. Five children are to be seated on a bench. Find (a) how many ways the
children can be seated. (b) how many arrangements are possible if the
youngest child is to sit at the left-hand end of the bench.

4. Two boys Bobby, Benny and two girls Grace, Gloria are to be seated in a
row according to the following rules:
1) A boy will not sit next to another boy and a girl will not sit next to
another girl,
2) Bobby must not sit next to Gloria.
If S is the number of different such seating arrangements, find the value
of S.
5. 7 boys are to be seated in a row. One of them, Andrew, will sit at the
leftmost position. Find the number of the combination(s) satisfying the
above condition.
6. Two boys Bobby, Benny and two girls Grace, Gloria are to be seated in a
row according to the following rules:
1) A boy will not sit next to another boy and a girl will not sit next to
another girl,
2) Benny must sit next to Gloria.
Find the number of combination(s) satisfying the above conditions.

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7. Arrange 5 letters A, B, C, D and E in a row. If C and E must be adjacent

(the order is not restricted), find the number of permutations.
8. A mathematician, a physicist, an engineer, and a computer scientist
walk into a bar. If there are 4 seats available at the bar, how many ways
are for the mathematician, physicist, engineer, and computer scientist
to seat themselves?

9. 7 boys are to be seated in a row. One of them, Andrew, will sit at the
center position. Find the number of the combination(s) satisfying the
above condition.

Circular Arrangement

1. Four men Peters, Rogers, Smith and Thomas are to be seated at a

circular table. In how many ways can this be done?

2. 7 friends, A,B,C,D,E,F and G are standing around the circular table. How
many arrangement(s) is / are there?
3. In how many ways can five women be seated at a circular table?

4. In how many ways can five people. Smith, Jones, Clark, Brown and
White, be arranged around a circular table if

(a) Smith must six next to Brown, (b) Smith must not sit next to
Brown?

5. Andy is standing around with 5 of his friends. How many

arrangement(s) is / are there?

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Special Type

If number of 1st type of identical objects = a,

number of 2nd type of identical objects = b,

number of 3rd type of identical objects = c……..,

(𝒂+𝒃+𝒄+...)!
Total Arrangements =
𝒂!×𝒃!×𝒄!×......

Examples

1. 5 identical black phones and 7 identical white tablets are put from left
to right. How many different permutation(s) is / are there?

2. 4 identical blue flags and 5 identical red flags are put from left to right.
How many different permutation(s) is / are there?

Exercises
1. 6 identical black books and 8 identical white books are put from left to
right. How many different permutation(s) is / are there?

2. 5 identical black books and 4 identical white books are put from left to
right. How many different permutation(s) is / are there?

3. Three different mathematics books and five other different books are to
be arranged on a bookshelf. Find (a) the number of possible
arrangements of the books. (b) the number of possible arrangements if
the three mathematics books must be kept together.

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4. 3 identical English books and 3 identical Mathematics books are put on

a book shelf. How many way(s) of arrangement is / are there?

5. 4 identical blue boxes and 3 identical red boxes are put from left to
right. How many different permutation(s) is / are there?

6. 3 identical blue flags and 3 identical red flags are put from left to right.
How many different permutation(s) is / are there?