§ 6.

2 Permutations and Combinations

An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?
An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student?

An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second?

An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second? The third?
An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second? The third?
So how many way are there?
An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second? The third?
So how many way are there? 5 · 4 · 3 = 60.
An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second? The third?
So how many way are there? 5 · 4 · 3 = 60.

Example
How many ways can we arrange all five of the students for picture?
An Example

Example
In how many ways can we select three students from a group of five
students to stand in line for a picture?

How many ways to select the first student? The second? The third?
So how many way are there? 5 · 4 · 3 = 60.

Example
How many ways can we arrange all five of the students for picture?

5 · 4 · 3 · 2 · 1 = 5! = 120
Permutations

Theorem
If n is a positive integer and r is an integer with 1 ≤ r ≤ n, then there
are
P(n, r) =n Pr = n(n − 1)(n − 2) . . . (n − r + 1)
r-permutations of a set with n distinct elements.
Permutations

Theorem
If n is a positive integer and r is an integer with 1 ≤ r ≤ n, then there
are
P(n, r) =n Pr = n(n − 1)(n − 2) . . . (n − r + 1)
r-permutations of a set with n distinct elements.

Corollary
n!
If n and r are integers with 0 ≤ r ≤ n, then P(n, r) = (n−r)!
Permutations

Theorem
If n is a positive integer and r is an integer with 1 ≤ r ≤ n, then there
are
P(n, r) =n Pr = n(n − 1)(n − 2) . . . (n − r + 1)
r-permutations of a set with n distinct elements.

Corollary
n!
If n and r are integers with 0 ≤ r ≤ n, then P(n, r) = (n−r)!

Note: By convention, 0! = 1
Back to Examples
Example
How many ways are there to choose the first prize winner, second
prize winner and third prize winner from a contest with 100 different
people?
Back to Examples
Example
How many ways are there to choose the first prize winner, second
prize winner and third prize winner from a contest with 100 different
people?

100! 100!
P(100, 3) = = = 100 · 99 · 98 = 970, 200
(100 − 3)! 97!
Back to Examples
Example
How many ways are there to choose the first prize winner, second
prize winner and third prize winner from a contest with 100 different
people?

100! 100!
P(100, 3) = = = 100 · 99 · 98 = 970, 200
(100 − 3)! 97!

Example
Suppose a saleswoman has to visit 8 different cities. She must begin
her trip in a specified city, but then she can visit the other seven cities
in whatever order she wishes. In how many different orders can she
visit these cities?
Back to Examples
Example
How many ways are there to choose the first prize winner, second
prize winner and third prize winner from a contest with 100 different
people?

100! 100!
P(100, 3) = = = 100 · 99 · 98 = 970, 200
(100 − 3)! 97!

Example
Suppose a saleswoman has to visit 8 different cities. She must begin
her trip in a specified city, but then she can visit the other seven cities
in whatever order she wishes. In how many different orders can she
visit these cities?

7! = 5040
A Different Kind of Problem

Example
How many different three student committees can be formed from a
group of four students?
A Different Kind of Problem

Example
How many different three student committees can be formed from a
group of four students?

What is different?
A Different Kind of Problem

Example
How many different three student committees can be formed from a
group of four students?

What is different? The order in which we select the students does not
matter.
A Different Kind of Problem

Example
How many different three student committees can be formed from a
group of four students?

What is different? The order in which we select the students does not
matter.

We can select a three student committee by excluding one of the

students, and there are four ways to do so. Therefore, there are 4
committees possible.
Combinations

Theorem
The number of r-combinations of a set with n elements, where ∈ Z +
and 0 ≤ r ≤ n, equals
n!
C(n, r) =n Cr =
r!(n − r)!
Combinations

Theorem
The number of r-combinations of a set with n elements, where ∈ Z +
and 0 ≤ r ≤ n, equals
n!
C(n, r) =n Cr =
r!(n − r)!

How does this formula relate to that for r-permutations?

Combinations

Theorem
The number of r-combinations of a set with n elements, where ∈ Z +
and 0 ≤ r ≤ n, equals
n!
C(n, r) =n Cr =
r!(n − r)!

How does this formula relate to that for r-permutations?

Since the difference between permutations and combinations is order,

we destroy the order of a permutation by dividing by the number of
ways to permute the r selected elements ...
Back to Examples

Example
How many 5 card poker hands are there if we are using a standard
deck?
Back to Examples

Example
How many 5 card poker hands are there if we are using a standard
deck?

52! 52·51·50·49·48
52 C5 = 5!·47! = 5·4·3·2·1 = 2, 598, 960
Back to Examples

Example
How many 5 card poker hands are there if we are using a standard
deck?

52! 52·51·50·49·48
52 C5 = 5!·47! = 5·4·3·2·1 = 2, 598, 960

Example
Suppose we wanted to select 47 cards from that standard deck. In how
many ways can we do this?
Back to Examples

Example
How many 5 card poker hands are there if we are using a standard
deck?

52! 52·51·50·49·48
52 C5 = 5!·47! = 5·4·3·2·1 = 2, 598, 960

Example
Suppose we wanted to select 47 cards from that standard deck. In how
many ways can we do this?

52!
52 C47 = 47!·5!
Back to Examples

Example
How many 5 card poker hands are there if we are using a standard
deck?

52! 52·51·50·49·48
52 C5 = 5!·47! = 5·4·3·2·1 = 2, 598, 960

Example
Suppose we wanted to select 47 cards from that standard deck. In how
many ways can we do this?

52!
52 C47 = 47!·5!

Why are these answers the same?

And More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to select a 5 student contingent from the
school’s 10 person tennis team to make up the travel team for a
tournament?
And More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to select a 5 student contingent from the
school’s 10 person tennis team to make up the travel team for a
tournament?

10!
10 C5 = 5!·5! = 252
And More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to select a 5 student contingent from the
school’s 10 person tennis team to make up the travel team for a
tournament?

10!
10 C5 = 5!·5! = 252

Example
A group of 30 people have been trained as astronauts to go on the first
mission to Mars. How many ways are there to select six people to go
on the mission, assuming they can all do all required tasks?
And More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to select a 5 student contingent from the
school’s 10 person tennis team to make up the travel team for a
tournament?

10!
10 C5 = 5!·5! = 252

Example
A group of 30 people have been trained as astronauts to go on the first
mission to Mars. How many ways are there to select six people to go
on the mission, assuming they can all do all required tasks?

30!
30 C6 = 6!·24! = 593, 775
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

Number of ways to select the math faculty

When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

9!
Number of ways to select the math faculty 9 C3 = 3!·6!
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

9!
Number of ways to select the math faculty 9 C3 = 3!·6!
Number of ways to select the CS faculty
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

9!
Number of ways to select the math faculty 9 C3 = 3!·6!
11!
Number of ways to select the CS faculty 11 C3 = 3!·8!
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

9!
Number of ways to select the math faculty 9 C3 = 3!·6!
11!
Number of ways to select the CS faculty 11 C3 = 3!·8!
How do we combine these?
When They Become More Interesting

Example
There are 9 faculty members in mathematics and 11 in computer
science. How many ways are there to select a committee to develop a
discrete mathematics course if the committee must consist of three
faculty members from each department?

9!
Number of ways to select the math faculty 9 C3 = 3!·6!
11!
Number of ways to select the CS faculty 11 C3 = 3!·8!
How do we combine these?
9! 11!
9 C3 = ·11 C3 = = 84 · 330 = 27, 720
3! · 6! 3! · 8!
More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to form a joint congressional committee
with 3 senators and 5 representatives?
More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to form a joint congressional committee
with 3 senators and 5 representatives?

100 C3 ·435 C5
More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to form a joint congressional committee
with 3 senators and 5 representatives?

100 C3 ·435 C5

Example
How many different ‘words’ can we make using the letters of ‘RED
SOX’ if we can use at least 3 but no more than 5 letters?
More Examples

Example
How many ways are there to form a joint congressional committee
with 3 senators and 5 representatives?

100 C3 ·435 C5

Example
How many different ‘words’ can we make using the letters of ‘RED
SOX’ if we can use at least 3 but no more than 5 letters?

6 P3 +6 P4 +6 P5 = 20 + 15 + 6 = 41
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet if
The fleet has five cars, three foreign and two domestic?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet if
The fleet has five cars, three foreign and two domestic?
7 C3 ·4 C2 = 35 · 6 = 210
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet if
The fleet has five cars, three foreign and two domestic?
7 C3 ·4 C2 = 35 · 6 = 210
The fleet can be of any size but must contain the same number of
foreign and domestic cars?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet if
The fleet has five cars, three foreign and two domestic?
7 C3 ·4 C2 = 35 · 6 = 210
The fleet can be of any size but must contain the same number of
foreign and domestic cars?

7 C1 ·4 C1 +7 C2 ·4 C2 +7 C3 ·4 C3 +7 C4 ·4 C4
= 7 · 4 + 21 · 6 + 35 · 4 + 35 · 1
= 28 + 126 + 140 + 35
= 329
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
7 C2 ·3 C2 = 21 · 3 = 63
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
7 C2 ·3 C2 = 21 · 3 = 63
How many ways if there is no Honda?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
7 C2 ·3 C2 = 21 · 3 = 63
How many ways if there is no Honda?
6 C2 ·4 C2 = 15 · 6 = 90
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
7 C2 ·3 C2 = 21 · 3 = 63
How many ways if there is no Honda?
6 C2 ·4 C2 = 15 · 6 = 90
How do we combine these?
Car Fleet Example

Example
A fleet is to be chosen from a set of 7 different make foreign cars and
4 different make domestic cars. How many ways can we choose a
fleet (provided we can only have at most one of each make) if
The fleet has four cars and one is a Chevy?
10 C3 = 120
The fleet has four cars, two of each type, and it cannot have a
Chevy and a Honda?
How many ways if there is no Chevy?
7 C2 ·3 C2 = 21 · 3 = 63
How many ways if there is no Honda?
6 C2 ·4 C2 = 15 · 6 = 90
How do we combine these? 63 + 90 = 153
Car Fleet Example

Example
So there are 153 ways to have a fleet of 4 cars with no Chevy and no
Honda. Right?
Car Fleet Example

Example
So there are 153 ways to have a fleet of 4 cars with no Chevy and no
Honda. Right?
What are we neglecting to consider?
Car Fleet Example

Example
So there are 153 ways to have a fleet of 4 cars with no Chevy and no
Honda. Right?
What are we neglecting to consider?
6 C2 ·3 C2 = 15 · 3 = 45
Car Fleet Example

Example
So there are 153 ways to have a fleet of 4 cars with no Chevy and no
Honda. Right?
What are we neglecting to consider?
6 C2 ·3 C2 = 15 · 3 = 45
So the total is 153 − 45 = 108 ways.
Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

How many different fleets could we have if there are no make

restrictions but we want two foreign and two domestic cars?
Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

How many different fleets could we have if there are no make

restrictions but we want two foreign and two domestic cars?

7 C2 ·4 C2 = 21 · 6 = 126
Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

How many different fleets could we have if there are no make

restrictions but we want two foreign and two domestic cars?

7 C2 ·4 C2 = 21 · 6 = 126

How many have Hondas and Chevy’s?

Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

How many different fleets could we have if there are no make

restrictions but we want two foreign and two domestic cars?

7 C2 ·4 C2 = 21 · 6 = 126

How many have Hondas and Chevy’s?

6 C1 ·3 C1 = 6 · 3 = 18
Car Fleet Example

An alternate way to consider this?

How many different fleets could we have if there are no make

restrictions but we want two foreign and two domestic cars?

7 C2 ·4 C2 = 21 · 6 = 126

How many have Hondas and Chevy’s?

6 C1 ·3 C1 = 6 · 3 = 18

So, we have 126 − 18 = 108 ways.

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?
Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set?

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards?

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Suit for the pair?

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Suit for the pair? 12 C1 = 12

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Suit for the pair? 12 C1 = 12 and which cards?

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Suit for the pair? 12 C1 = 12 and which cards? 4 C2 = 6.

Poker Example

Example
How many ways are there to get a full house with a standard deck?

Suit for the set? 13 C1 = 13 And which cards? 4 C3 = 4.

Suit for the pair? 12 C1 = 12 and which cards? 4 C2 = 6.

So, the number of full houses would therefore be 13 · 12 · 4 · 6 = 3744.