Session-18

Combinations
 Combinations
Definition:
A combination of n objects taken r at a time is an unordered selection
of r of the objects
The symbol C(n , r) which is read as “n choose r”
denotes No. of subsets of size r that can be chosen from a set of n
elements.
Enumerating r-combinations without repetitions

• C(n , r) = P(n , r)/r!

= n!/(n-r)! r!
Let
S={Andhra, Bangalore,chennai,Delhi}
3-combination of S is
• C(4,3) = 4
• {Bangalore,chennai,Delhi}
• {Andhra, chennai, Delhi}
• {Andhra, Bangalore,Delhi}
• {Andhra, Bangalore,chennai}
• In an ordered selection it is not only what elements are chosen but
which the order in which they are chosen matters.

• In an unordered selection it is only the identity of chosen elements

that matters.
• In how many ways can a hand of 5 cards be
selected from a deck of 52 cards
Sol: n=52, r=5
C(n,r) = n! = 52!
(n-r)! r! (52-5)! 5!
• How many 5-card consists only of hearts?
Sol: n=13, r=5
There are only 13 hearts
Selecting 5 cards from 13 cards
C(n,r) = n! = 13!
(n-r)! r! (13-5)! 5!
• How many 5-card hands consists of cards from a single suit.
Sol:
There are 4 suits( diamonds, clubs, spades, hearts)
• Each suit consists of 13 cards.
• 1 Suit selection out 4 suits in 4 ways
• Selecting 5 cards from 13 , n=13,r=5

• Selecting 5 cards from 13 cards

• C(n,r) = n! = 4* (13!)
(n-r)! r! (13-5)! 5!
How many 5-card hands have 2 clubs and 3 hearts?
Sol:
there are 4 suits( diamonds, clubs, spades, hearts)
Each suit consists of 13 cards.
2 cards from clubs(13) C(13,2) ways
3 cards from hearts(13) C(13,3) ways

Selecting 5 cards n=13, r=5

C(n,r) = C(13,2) * C(13,3)

How many 5-card hands have 2 aces and 3 kings?
Sol:
there are 4 aces and 4 kings
2 cards from aces (4) C(4,2) ways
3 cards from kings(4) C(4,3) ways

Selecting 5 cards n=5,

in C(4,2) * C(4,3)
• In how many ways can a committee of 5 be
chosen from 9 people?
Sol: selecting 5 people from 9 people
n=9 r=5
Chosen in C(9,5) ways
• How many committees of 5 or more can be
chosen from 9 people?
Sol: selecting 5 and more
i.e. 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 people can be chosen in
C(9,5)+C(9,6)+C(9,7)+C(9,8)+C(9,9)
• In how many ways an eight letter word with 3 different vowels and 5
different consonants can be framed?
• There are 21 consonants and 5 vowels in the English alphabet.
• _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8 letter word,
• 3 vowels can be chosen from 5 is C(5,3)
• 5 consonants can be chosen from 21 is C(21,5)
• 8 letters can be arranged in 8! ways
Answer= 8! *C(5,3) * C(21,5)
• A)contain a ‘a’ fixed.
• only 2 vowels need to choose from 4 vowels in C(4,2) ways.
• 5 consonants can be chosen from 21 is C(21,5)
• 8 letters can be arranged in 8! ways
Answer: 8 * C(4,2) * C(21,5)
• B)contain letters a and b

• ‘a’ fixed out of 5 vowels and b is fixed out of 21 consonants

• only 2 vowels need to choose from 4 vowels in C(4,2) ways.
• Only 4 consonants can be chosen from 20 is C(20,4)
• 8 letters can be arranged in 8! ways
Answer: 8 * C(4,2) * C(20,4)
• C)contain letters b and c

• b and c 2 letters are fixed out of 21 consonants

• 3 vowels choose from 5 vowels in C(5,3) ways.
• Only 3 consonants can be chosen from 19 is C(19,3)
• 8 letters can be arranged in 8! ways
Answer: 8 * C(5,3) * C(19,3)
• D)contain letter a ,b, and c
• a is fixed out of 5 vowels
• b and c 2 letters are fixed out of 21 consonants
• Choose only 2 vowels from 4 vowels in C(4,2) ways.
• Only 3 consonants can be chosen from 19 is C(19,3)
• 8 letters can be arranged in 8! ways
Answer: 8 * C(4,2) * C(19,3)
• E)begin with a and end with b

• a’ fixed out of 5 vowels

• and b is fixed out of 21 consonants
• only 2 vowels need to choose from 4 vowels in C(4,2) ways.
• Only 4 consonants can be chosen from 20 is C(20,4)
• 6 letters can be arranged in 6! Ways (first & last letters already given)
Answer: 6 * C(4,2) * C(20,4)
F)begin with b and end with c

b is fixed out of 21 consonants

Only 3vowels need to choose from 4 vowels in C(5,3) ways.
Only 3 consonants can be chosen from 19 is C(19,3)
6 letters can be arranged in 6! Ways (first & last letters already given)
Answer: 6 * C(5,3) * C(19,3)
Ex: There are 30females and 35 males in junior class while there are 25 females 20 males in
senior class. In how many ways can a committee of 10 be chosen so that there are exactly 5
females and 3 juniors on the committee?

Sol:
juniors seniors
Female male female male
0 3 5 2 C(30,0)*C(35,3)*C(25,5)*C(20,2)
1 2 4 3 C(30,1)*C(35,2)*C(25,4)*C(20,3)
2 1 3 4 C(30,2)*C(35,1)*C(25,3)*C(20,4)
3 0 2 5 C(30,3)*C(35,0)*C(25,2)*C(20,5)

FINALLY
C(30,0)*C(35,3)*C(25,5)*C(20,2) + C(30,1)*C(35,2)*C(25,4)*C(20,3) +
C(30,2)*C(35,1)*C(25,3)*C(20,4) + C(30,3)*C(35,0)*C(25,2)*C(20,5)