Difference between Permutation and Combination

Permutations and combinations are two important concepts in mathematics used for counting and solving problems involving arrangements or selections. The key difference between them is whether the order of items matters. In permutations, the order is important, while in combinations, it is not.

For example, arranging books on a shelf involves permutations, but selecting a group of friends to form a team involves combinations.

What is Permutation? 

Permutation is a concept that means to arrange a given set of elements in a particular order. Here the sequence of arrangement is important. A simple way to understand permutation is if we have some objects with us and we want to arrange them (the order of the arrangement matters), then in how many ways you can arrange them.

Let’s take an example, If three English alphabets are taken – p, q, and r and we want to arrange them, then these can be arranged like (p, q, r), (p, r, q), (q, p, r), (q, r, p), (r, p, q) and  (r, q, p). Only these six arrangements are possible. Now the word arrangement here is called a Permutation, i.e. only these six permutations are possible.

Formula for finding the number of permutations

If 'n' elements are given, out of which we want to arrange 'r' elements,  then the number of possible arrangements or permutations is given by,  

ⁿ_rP  = n! / (n - r)!

Read: Permutation - Formula, Definition, Examples

What is Combination?

Combination is a concept that is concerned with the selection of some elements from a given set of elements. Here the order in which the elements are selected is not important.

For example, the selection of 11 players from a wide number of players for a cricket team comes under combination (that’s it, only selection) but which player will bat first, which will bat second, and so on, this arrangement of players comes under permutation.

Formula to find the number of combinations

If we have 'n' elements out of which we want to select 'r' elements then the number of possible combinations is given by  

ⁿ_rC = n! / r!(n - r)!

Read: Combinations - Definition, Formula, Examples

Difference between Permutations and Combinations

The definitions of permutation and combination are given above and they are defined in detail. Now let's take a look at the difference between the two,

Related Articles:

• Permutation and Combination
• Permutation and Combination - Aptitude Questions

Sample Problems - Difference between Permutations and Combinations

Question 1: In how many ways can you arrange the letters of the word ARTICLE, taking 4 letters at a time, without repetition, to form words with or without meaning?
Solution: 

Here from 7 letters of the word ARTICLE, we have to arrange any 4 letters to form different words.
So, n = 7 and r = 4. 

Using permutation formula ⁿ_rP = n! / (n - r)!    

⁴₇P = 7! / (7 - 4)! 
= 7!/3! 
= (7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3!) / 3! = 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 = 840

Thus there are 840 different ways in which we can arrange 4 letters out of the 7 letters of ARTICLE to form different words.

Question 2: How many 6 digit pin codes can be formed from the digits 0 to 9 if each pin code starts with 48 and no digit is repeated?
Solution:

Here arrange 6 digits from 0 to 9 but the first two digits of the pin code has been already decided (4 and 8). 

So we have to now arrange only 4 digits out of the remaining 8 digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9).
So, n = 8 and r = 4,  

⁸₄P = 8! / (8 - 4)! 
= 8! / 4! 
= (8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4!) / 4! 
= 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 
= 1680

Thus, 1680 different permutation in which 6 digit pin codes can be formed.

Question 3: Out of 10 students, 4 are to be selected for a trip. In how many ways the selection be made?
Solution:

In this question select 4 students out of given 10. So combination will be used here to find the answer.
n = 10 and r = 4,  

¹⁰₄C = 10! / 4!(10 - 4)! 
= 10! / 4!6! 
= (10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6!) / (4 × 3 × 2 × 1 × 6!) 
= (10 × 9 × 8 × 7)/(4 × 3 × 2 × 1) 
= 210

Thus there are 210 different ways of selecting 4 students out of 10.

Question 4: A bag contains 3 red, 5 black, and 4 blue balls. How many ways are there to take out three balls so that each of the colors is taken out?
Solution:

Here take out three balls of each colour. The order in which the balls are taken out does not matter. So use combination to find the answer.

Number of ways of selecting one red ball out of 3 red balls = ³₁C
Number of ways of selecting one black ball out of 5 back balls = ⁵₁C  
Number of ways of selecting one blue ball out of 4 blue balls = ⁴₁C
Total number of ways of selecting three balls of each colour = ³₁C × ⁵₁C × ⁴₁C                 

= 3 × 5 × 4 
= 60

Thus there are 60 ways of selecting three balls of each colour.