Combinations

Finding n and r.
Formula’s:
C(n,r)=n(n-1)(n-2)

C(n,r)= n!
________
(n-r)! r!
Example 1. Finding n.

C(n,3)=165

Given: Formula:
n=? C(n,r)=n(n-1)(n-2)
________
r=3 r!
165=n(n-1)(n-2)
________
165=n(n-1)(n-2)
3!
___ ________
1 6

990=n(n-1)(n-2)
11.10.9=n(n-1)(n-2)

n=11 n=11 ; n-1=10 ; n-2=9

n=10+1
n=11
n=9+2
n=11
Example 2. Finding n.

C(n,4)=15

Given: Formula:
n=? C(n,r)=n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3)
________
r=4
r!
15=n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3)
________
15=n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3)
4!
__ ________
1 24

360=n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3)
6.5.4.3=n(n-1)(n-2)(n-3)
n=6 ; n-1=5 ; n-2=4 ; n-3=3
n=5+1 n=4+2 n=3+3

n=6 n=6 n=6 n=6

Example 3. Finding r using the TAE (trial and error) method.

C(8,r)=28

Given: Formula:
n=8 C(n,r)= ________
n! C(n,r)= ________
8!
r=?
(n-r)! r! (8-r)! r!

TAE method
Example: Therefore:
8
C(8,0)= ______ __
! 0!
(8-0)!
= 8!
8!
=1
r=2 r=6
C(8,1)=8
C(8,2)=28
And so on…. 6+2=8
Example 3. Finding r using Pascal’s Triangle.

C(8,r)=28

Given:
1 --- 0
n=8
1 1 --- 1
r=?
1 2 1--- 2
1 3 3 1 --- 3
1 4 6 4 1 --- 4
1 5 10 10 5 1 --- 5
C(8,r)=28 1 6 15 20 15 6 1 --- 6
1 7 21 35 35 21 7 1 --- 7

r=2 1 8 28 56 70 56 28 8 1 --- 8

r=6
C(8,0) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7