PERMUTATION

S
&
COMBINATIONS
General Meaning: Dictionary.com

■ Permutation - a way, especially one of

several possible variations, in which a set or
number of things can be ordered or arranged.
■ Combination - a joining or merging of
different parts or qualities in which the
component elements are individually
distinct.
Principle of Counting
Varsitytutors.com

The principle of counting states

that if there are p ways to do
one thing, and q ways to do
another thing, then there are
p×q ways to do both things.
Principle of Counting Varsitytutors.com

Example 1: Suppose you have 3 shirts (call them A ,

B , and C ), and 4 pairs of pants (call them w , x , y , and
z ). Then you have
3×4=12
possible outfits:
Aw,Ax,Ay,Az
Bw,Bx,By,Bz
Cw,Cx,Cy,Cz
Principle of Counting Varsitytutors.com

Example 2: Suppose you roll a 6 -sided die and

draw a card from a deck of 52 cards. There are 6
possible outcomes on the die, and 52 possible
outcomes from the deck of cards. So, there are a
total of
6×52=312

possible outcomes of the experiment.

Principle of Counting
Varsitytutors.com

The counting principle can be

extended to situations where you have
more than 2 choices. For instance, if
there are p ways to do one thing, q
ways to a second thing, and r ways
to do a third thing, then there are
p×q×r ways to do all three things.
PERMUTATIONS corporatefinanceinstitute.com

a mathematical technique that

determines the number of
possible arrangements in a set
when the order of the
arrangements matters.
PERMUTATIONS
mathsisfun.com

When the order does

matter.
PERMUTATIONS mathsisfun.com

Examples:

1. The combination to the safe is 472.

2. My Phone password is 1234.
3. Recite the alphabet from A-Z.
PERMUTATIONS
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It is an ordered
Combination.
POSITION MATTERS
Types of PERMUTATIONS
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1. Permutations with Repetition

- Repetition is Allowed
2. Permutations without Repetition
- No Repetition
Permutations with Repetition
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nr
where n is the number of
things to choose from, and we
choose r of them, repetition is
allowed, and order matters.
Permutations with Repetition
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■ When a thing has n different types ...

we have n choices each time!
■ For example: choosing 3 of those
things, the permutations are:
■n × n × n
(n multiplied 3 times)
Permutations with Repetition
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■ More generally: choosing r of something

that has n different types, the
permutations are:
■ n × n × ... (r times)
■ Which is easier to write down using an 
exponent of r:
■ n × n × ... (r times) = nr
Permutations without Repetition
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■ In this case, we have to reduce the

■  

number of available choices each time.

Factorial
function (symbol: !) just
■ Formula: n means to multiply a series of
descending natural numbers.
■ where n is the number of things to choose
from,
and we choose r of them,
no repetitions,
order matters.
Permutations without Repetition
youtube.com/MagicMonk

Examples:
1. How many different ways are there in
arranging 3 random letters without being
repeated?
 
Solution: n
ABC ABD
ABE
Permutations without Repetition
youtube.com/MagicMonk

Examples:
1. How many different ways are there in
arranging 3 random letters without being
repeated?
 
Solution: 26
ABC ABD
ABE
Permutations without Repetition
youtube.com/MagicMonk

Solution:
 
26

  𝟐𝟔 .𝟐𝟓.𝟐𝟒.𝟐𝟑.𝟐𝟐.𝟐𝟏…𝟏
¿
𝟐𝟑.𝟐𝟐.𝟐𝟏…𝟏
 
¿ 𝟐𝟔 . 𝟐𝟓 .𝟐𝟒
 
¿ 𝟏𝟓 , 𝟔𝟎𝟎
COMBINATIONS corporatefinanceinstitute.com

a mathematical technique that

determines the number of
possible arrangements in a
collection of items where the order
of the selection does not matter.
COMBINATIONS
mathsisfun.com

When the order

doesn't matter.
COMBINATIONS mathsisfun.com

Examples:

1. My fruit salad is a combination of apples,

grapes and bananas.
2. The color of my shirt are red, yellow,
and blue.
Types of COMBINATIONS
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1. Combinations with Repetition

- Repetition is Allowed
2. Combinations without Repetition
- No Repetition
Combinations with Repetition
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■ Formula: n
■  

■ where n is the number of things to

choose from,
and we choose r of them,
no repetitions,
order matters.
Combinations with Repetition
fhybea.com

Examples:
1. A sportsman goes to the store to buy
4 pairs of shoes, if at the store there
are a lot of shoes in 5 available colors,
how many combination of colors can
this man buy.
 
n
 Combinations with Repetition
fhybea.com

Solution:
 
n
 
(𝟓+𝟒 − 𝟏)   𝟖!
¿ ¿
𝟒 ! ( 𝟓 −𝟏) ! 𝟒 ! 𝟒 !
  𝟖 . 𝟕 .𝟔 . 𝟓 . 𝟒 . 𝟑 … 𝟏  𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎
¿ ¿
𝟒 . 𝟑 .𝟐 . 𝟏. 𝟒 .𝟑 . 𝟐 .𝟏 𝟒 . 𝟑 . 𝟐 . 𝟏
  𝟏𝟔𝟖𝟎  
¿
𝟐𝟒
¿ 𝟕𝟎
Combinations with Repetition
fhybea.com

Examples:
1. A person is going to a candy shop
where there are 8 types of flavors, if
this person is only going to buy 3,
define every combination possible
 n   ( 𝟖 +𝟑 − 𝟏 ) !  𝟏𝟎 !  𝟏𝟎 . 𝟗 . 𝟖 .𝟕 !   𝟕𝟐𝟎
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
𝟑 ! ( 𝟖 − 𝟏 ) ! 𝟑 ! 𝟕 ! 𝟑 !𝟕 ! 𝟑 . 𝟐 .𝟏
  𝟕𝟐𝟎
¿
𝟔
  ¿ 𝟏𝟐𝟎
Combinations without Repetition
mathsisfun.com

■ Formula: n
■  

■ where n is the number of things to

choose from,
and we choose r of them,
no repetitions,
order matters.
Combinations without Repetition
youtube.com/MooMooMath&Science

Examples:
1. Given a group of 10 students, 3 are
chosen to pick up books for the class.
 n

 10
  𝟏𝟎 . 𝟗 . 𝟖 .𝟕
 
¿ 𝟏𝟎 .𝟑 . 𝟒
¿
𝟕 ! 𝟑 . 𝟐 .𝟏  ¿ 𝟏𝟐𝟎
Combinations without Repetition
fhybea.com

Examples:
1. 2 girls will go to a party, if between
the two, they have 4 pairs of fancy
shoes, define the combination of
shoes this two girls can wear.
 n   𝟒 !   𝟒 . 𝟑 .𝟐   .𝟒𝟏. 𝟑 . 𝟐 . 𝟏
¿ ¿ ¿
( 𝟒 − 𝟐 ) ! 𝟐 !𝟐 . 𝟏 . 𝟐 . 𝟐
𝟏 .𝟏 . 𝟐 .𝟏
  𝟏𝟐 
¿
𝟐 ¿ 𝟔
CONCLUSION
Things to Remember:
■ Permutation - When the order does matter.
■ Combination - When the order doesn't matter.
■ Principle of Counting - There are p×q ways to
do both things.
■ Formula: 1. P=nr
2. n
 
4.
  n

3.
  n