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Principles of Counting

The document discusses principles of counting such as factorial notation, the fundamental counting principle, permutations, and combinations. It provides examples and problems to demonstrate how to use these principles to calculate the number of possible outcomes in different scenarios, such as how many ways students can enter a school, how a patient can be classified, or how to select committees from groups of people.

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Ann
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55 views

Principles of Counting

The document discusses principles of counting such as factorial notation, the fundamental counting principle, permutations, and combinations. It provides examples and problems to demonstrate how to use these principles to calculate the number of possible outcomes in different scenarios, such as how many ways students can enter a school, how a patient can be classified, or how to select committees from groups of people.

Uploaded by

Ann
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principles of Counting

Factorial Notation

The Fundamental Counting Principle

The Counting Principle for


Alternative Cases

Permutation

Combination
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 1
Factorial Notation
For any positive integer n, n! means:

n (n – 1) (n – 2) . . . (3) (2) (1)

0! will be defined as equal to one

Examples:
4! = 4•3 •2 •1 = 24

The factorial symbol only affects the number it follows unless


grouping symbols are used.

3 •5! = 3 •5 •4 •3 •2 •1 = 360

( 3 •5 )! = 15! = big number


Courtesy: Doc Nelda 2
The Fundamental Counting
Principle
If activity 1 can be done in n1 ways, activity 2 can
be done in n2 ways, activity 3 can be done in n3
ways, and so forth; then the number of ways of
doing these activities on a specified order is the
product of n1, n2, n3 and so forth. In symbols,

n1  n2  n3    nn
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 3
Example 1:

Suppose a school has three


gates, in how many ways can
a student enter and leave
the school?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 4


Example 2:

In a medical study, patients are


classified according to whether they
have blood type A, B, AB or O, and also
according to whether their blood
pressure is low, normal, or high. In
how many different ways can a patient
thus be classified.

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 5


Example 3:

A new car dealer offers a car in


four body styles, in ten colors, and
with a choice of three engines. In
how many ways can a person order
one of the cars?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 6


Example 4:
A test consists of 15 multiple
choice questions, with each
question having four possible
answers. In how many different
ways can a student check off one
answer to each question?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 7


Example 5:
How many different 4-digit
numbers can be formed from the
digits 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 if: (a)
repetition is not allowed? How
many of these numbers are even?
How many are these numbers are
odd? (b) repetition is allowed?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 8


The Counting Principle of
Alternative Cases
Suppose the ways of doing an activity can be
broken down into several alternative cases where
each case does not have anything in common with
the other cases. If case 1 can be done in n1 ways,
case 2 can be done in n2 ways, case 3 can be done
in n3 ways, and so on, then the number of ways
the activity can be done is the sum of n1, n2, n3
and so on cases. In symbols,

n1 + n2 + n3 +  + nn
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 9
Permutation
The term permutation refers to the
arrangement of objects with reference
to order or it may be defined as an
arrangement of all or part of a set of
objects.

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 10


Linear Permutation
The number of permutations of n
distinct objects taken all together is
n!.
Example:
How many different signals can be
made using five flags if all flags
must be used in each signal?
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 11
Permutation of n Elements Taken r at
a Time
The arrangement of n objects in a specific order using r
objects at a time is given by
n!
n Pr =
where r < n
(n − r )!
Example:
Suppose there are eight machines, but only three
spaces in the display room available for the
machines. In how many different ways can the 8
machines be arranged in the three available spaces

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 12


Circular Permutation
The arrangement of n objects in a circular
pattern is given by the formula

P = (n − 1)!
Example:
In how many ways can six persons be seated
around a circular table?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 13


Permutation of Things Not All
Different
The number of distinct permutations of n objects
of which r1 are alike, r2 are alike, r3 are alike, …
etc. is
n!
P=
r1!r2 !r3! rn !
Example:
How many different permutations can be made
from the letters of the word “STATISTICS”?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 14


Combination
Suppose we are interested only in the number of
different ways that r objects can be selected
from a given number of objects. If the order of
the objects is not important, the total number of
orders or arrangement is called combination. The
number of combinations of n objects taken r at a
time is denoted by nCr and is given by the
formula:
n!
n Cr =
(n − r )!r!
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 15
Example 1:
In order to survey the opinions of
costumers at local malls, a
researcher decides to select 5
malls from a certain area with a
total of 9 malls. How many
different ways can the selection
be made?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 16


Example 2:

The general manager of a fast-


food restaurant chain must select
6 restaurants from 10 for a
promotional program. How many
different possible ways can this
selection be done?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 17


Problem 1:

In how many ways can 5 people


line up for a group picture if (a)
two want to stand next to each
other? (b) two refuse to stand
next to each other?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 18


Problem 2:

In how many ways can 8


beads be put together to
form a round bracelet?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 19


Problem 3:

A committee of 5 people must


be selected from 5 accountants
and 8 educators. How many
ways can the selection be done
if there are 3 educators in the
committee?
Courtesy: Doc Nelda 20
Problem 4:

In a club there are 8 women


and 5 men. A committee of 4
women and 2 men is to be
chosen. How many possibilities
are there?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 21


Problem 5:
A committee of 5 people must be
selected from 5 accountants and 8
educators. How many ways can the
selection be done if there are at
least 3 educators in the
committee?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 22


Problem 6:

How many different triangles


can be formed using the
vertices of an octagon?
Pentagon? Hexagon?

Courtesy: Doc Nelda 23

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