St. Bridget School, Q.C.

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Mathematics 10
S.Y. 2022 – 2023

MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
(PART 1)

What is the module about?

Have you ever wondered how counting of arrangements, groupings which involve very large numbers in complex
situations and chances of events to happen are to be done? This module focuses on how they should be accomplished.

The fundamental counting techniques, permutations and combinations are to be explored and covered. These
concepts and skills will equip you to communicate, formulate, investigate, analyze and solve real-life problems in order to
come up with conclusions which will help in making sound decisions.

(PEAC Learning Module for Grade 10, 2018)

This module contains the following lessons:

 Lesson 1: Permutations
 Lesson 2: Combinations

WEEK 4: JANUARY 23-27

 Lesson 1: Permutations
✓ illustrate permutation of objects;
✓ derive the formula for finding the number of permutations of 𝑛 objects taken 𝑟 at a time, 𝑛 ≥ 𝑟
✓ solve problems involving permutations

 EXPLORE
Consider the set of letters {𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶}.

How many ways are there to arrange these letters?

Answer the question above using all the three different techniques of counting:
FUNDAMENTAL
SYSTEMATIC LISTING TREE-DIAGRAMMING
COUNTING PRINCIPLE

1|MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
 FIRM-UP
Activity
An anagram is a type of word play; the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a
new word or phrase using the original letters exactly once.

Find the anagrams of the words below. (Hint: Body parts)

1. keen _______________ 5. lamp _______________
2. cafe _______________ 6. fringe _______________
3. inch _______________ 7. earth _______________
4. sink _______________ 8. impart _______________

QUESTION TO PONDER:
 Is it possible for a word to have more than one anagram? Cite examples if yes.

Key Concept

Permutation
❑ A permutation of the set of objects is an ordered arrangement of the items without repetition.
❑ The number of 𝑛 permutations taken 𝑛 at a time denoted by .𝒏 𝑷𝒏
❑ The total permutations of as set of 𝑛 objects is given by:
𝑷𝒏 𝑷𝒏 = 𝒏 ∙ (𝒏 − 𝟏) ∙ (𝒏 − 𝟐) ∙ … ∙ 𝟑 ∙ 𝟐 ∙ 𝟏

Illustrative Examples
1. Evaluate the following:
a. .𝟒 𝑷𝟒 b. .𝟔 𝑷𝟔
Solution: Solution:
.4 𝑃4 = 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 24 .6 𝑃6 = 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 720

2. In how many ways can seven students be arranged on a line?

Solution:
.7 𝑃7 = 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 5,040
∴ There are 5,040 ways to arrange 7 students on a line.

3. In how many ways can 10 books be arranged on a shelf?

Solution:
.10 𝑃10 = 10 ∙ 9 ∙ 8 ∙ 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 5,040
∴ There are 3,628,800 ways to arrange 10 books on a shelf.

Key Concept

Factorial Notation
The factorial, 𝑛!, is defined for a natural number 𝑛 as:
𝑛! = 𝑛 ∙ (𝑛 − 1) ∙ (𝑛 − 2) ∙ … ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1
REMARKS:
1. 0! = 1
2. .𝑛 𝑃𝑛 = 𝑛!

Permutation of 𝒏 Objects taken 𝒓 at a Time

The number of 𝒏 permutations taken 𝒓 at a time denoted by 𝒏𝑷𝒓 given by:
.𝒏 𝑷𝒓 = 𝒏 ∙ (𝒏 − 𝟏) ∙ (𝒏 − 𝟐) ∙ … ∙ (𝒏 − 𝒓 + 𝟏)

or in simplest form:
𝒏!
.𝒏 𝑷𝒓 =
(𝒏 − 𝒓)!

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 Illustrative Examples
4. Evaluate the following:
a. .𝟕 𝑷𝟑 b. .𝟖 𝑷𝟓
Solution: Solution:
Method 1: Method 1:
.7 𝑃3 = 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 = 210 .8 𝑃5 = 8 ∙ 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 = 210

Method 2: Method 2:
𝑛! 𝑛!
.𝑛 𝑃𝑟 = (𝑛−𝑟)!
.𝑛 𝑃𝑟 = (𝑛−𝑟)!
7! 7! 5,040 7! 7! 5,040
.7 𝑃3 = = = = 210 .7 𝑃3 = = = = 210
(7 − 3)! 4! 24 (7 − 3)! 4! 24

5. Ten runners join a race. In how many possible ways can they be arranged as first,
second, and third placers?
Solution:
.7 𝑃7 = 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 5,040
∴ There are 5,040 ways to arrange 7 students on a line.

6. In how many ways can 10 books be arranged on a shelf?

Solution:
.10 𝑃10 = 10 ∙ 9 ∙ 8 ∙ 7 ∙ 6 ∙ 5 ∙ 4 ∙ 3 ∙ 2 ∙ 1 = 5,040
∴ There are 3,628,800 ways to arrange 10 books on a shelf.

 DEEPEN
Find the number of occurrences in each problem.
1. A teacher wants to assign 4 different tasks to her 4 students. In how many possible ways
can she do it?
2. In a certain general assembly, three major prizes are at stake. In how many ways can the
first, second, and third prizes be drawn from a box containing 120 names?
3. Suppose we are going to use the symbols {𝑎,𝑏,𝑐,𝑑,𝑒,𝑓,𝑔,ℎ}to form a 5 character
"password" having no repeated characters. How many different passwords are possible?
4. In how many ways can you arrange 5 math books on a shelf?
5. Ten students are to be chosen from a class of 30 and lined up for a photograph. How many
such photographs can be taken?

 CLOSURE

THINK ABOUT THIS…

“Is it possible for 𝑟 to be greater than 𝑛? Why or why not?.”

3|MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
 Lesson 1: Permutations (continuation)
✓ solve problems involving permutations

 EXPLORE
PROBLEM OF THE DAY
Mr. MATA uses the four letters of his surname in order to assign a 4-letter computer log-in
password to each of his 20 students. In each password, each letter appears only once.

QUESTION TO PONDER:
 Using counting techniques, list down all the possible 4-letter password
 Are there enough passwords for the 20 students of Mr. MATA?
 How many different passwords can Mr. Mata create?

 FIRM-UP
Key Concept

Distinguishable Permutations
The number of 𝒏 permutations taken 𝒓 at a time denoted by .𝒏 𝑷𝒓 given by:
𝒏!
𝑷=
𝒏𝟏 ! 𝒏𝟐 ! … 𝒏𝒌 !
where 𝒏𝟏 + 𝒏𝟐 + ⋯ + 𝒏𝒌 = 𝒏

Illustrative Examples
Find the number of occurrences in each problem.
1. Find the number of different ways of placing 15 balls in a row given that 4 are red, 3 are yellow,
6 are black, and 2 are blue.
Solution:
𝑛=4 𝑛1 (𝑟𝑒𝑑) = 4 𝑛2 (𝑦𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤) = 3 𝑛3 (𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘) = 6 𝑛4 (𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑒) = 2

15!
𝑃=
4! × 3! × 6! × 2!

𝑷 = 𝟔, 𝟑𝟎𝟔, 𝟑𝟎𝟎

∴ There are 𝟔, 𝟑𝟎𝟔, 𝟑𝟎𝟎 distinguishable permutations for the 15 different colored balls.

2. How many different words can be formed using all the letters in the word MISSISSIPPI?
Solution:
𝑛 = 11 𝑛1 (𝑀) = 1 𝑛2 (𝐼) = 4 𝑛3 (𝑆) = 4 𝑛4 (𝑃) = 2

11!
𝑃=
1! × 4! × 4! × 2!

𝑷 = 𝟑𝟒, 𝟔𝟓𝟎

∴ There are 𝟑𝟒, 𝟔𝟓𝟎 distinguishable permutations for the letters of the word MISSISSIPPI.

4|MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
 Activity 2
Vince is to arrange his three friends and himself around a circular table.
Below are the possible arrangements he prepared.

QUESTION TO PONDER:
 Can you distinguish among these arrangements?
 Do the arrangements change the person another person is sitting next to?
 How is it possible to find the arrangements of persons on a circular table?

Key Concept
Circular Permutation
The number of circular permutations of 𝒏 objects is given by 𝑷 = (𝒏 − 𝟏)!

Illustrative Examples
Find the number of occurrences in each problem.
3. In how many ways can 4 people be seated around a circular table?
Solution:
𝑛=3
𝑃 = (4 − 1)!
𝑃 = 3!
𝑷=𝟔

∴ There are six ways to arrange four people around a circular table

4. At a dinner party 6 men and 6 women sit at a round table. In how many ways can they sit if:
a. there are no conditions?
Solution:
𝑛 = 6 + 6 = 12
𝑃 = (12 − 1)!
𝑃 = 11!
𝑷 = 𝟑𝟗, 𝟗𝟏𝟔, 𝟖𝟎𝟎

∴ There are 𝟑𝟗, 𝟗𝟏𝟔, 𝟖𝟎𝟎 ways to arrange 12 people around a circular table.

b. couples are seated adjacently

Solution:
𝑛 = 6 → to represent the 6 couples
2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! → to represent the permutation of
each of the 6 couples

𝑃 = (6 − 1)! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2!
𝑃 = 5! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2! × 2!
𝑷 = 𝟕, 𝟔𝟖𝟎

∴ There are 7,680 ways to arrange 6 men and 6 women around a circular table such
that the couples are seated adjacently

5|MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
 Activity 3
Imagine you are making a bracelet using different colors of beads

QUESTION TO PONDER:
 Does the formula for circular permutation applies in this situation?
 Imagine flipping the bracelet, does the arrangement change?
 By just flipping the bracelet, the order of the beads changed without actually rearranging the
beads, how is it possible to find the possible arrangement of beads on a string?

Key Concept

Circular Permutation on a Key Ring

The number of permutations of 𝒏 objects around a key ring and the like is:
(𝒏 − 𝟏)!
𝑷=
𝟐

Illustrative Examples
Find the number of occurrences in each problem.
5. In how many ways can 6 different keys be arranged on a key ring?
Solution:
𝑛=6
(6 − 1)!
𝑃=
2
5!
𝑃=
2
𝑷 = 𝟔𝟎

∴ There are 60 ways to arrange six different keys on a key ring.

 DEEPEN
Find the number of occurrences in each problem.
1. How many arrangements of the word KITCHEN if no vowels are adjacent?
2. A student has five different Math books and four different Science books. In how many
ways can these books be arranged on a bookshelf if the books on a particular subject must
appear together?
3. Five couples want to have their pictures taken. In how many ways can they arrange
themselves in a row if couples must be next to each other?
4. Five boys and five girls are to be seated in a circular table. In how many ways can they
arrange themselves if boys and girls are seated alternately?
5. Find the number arrangements for the word COMMITTEE?
6. In how many ways can 8 keys be arranged in a key ring?

 CLOSURE

THINK ABOUT THIS…

“What techniques have you developed in solving permutation problems?”

6|MODULE 5: COMBINATORICS
REFERENCES
Department of Education. (2015). Mathematics – Grade 10 Learner’s Module. Pasig City. Department of Education. pp. 9
– 44. [Digital Copy]

Nivera, G. & Lapinid, M.R. (2015). Grade 10 Mathematics: Patterns and practicalities. Makati City. Salesiana Books by
Don Bosco Press, Inc. pp. 4 – 51.

Vogstad, K. (2015). Why is my kid building patterns again? The Importance of Patterning. Retrieved from
https://kellivogstad.com/2015/10/04/why-is-my-kid-building-patterns-again-the-importance-of-patterning

Consultation time: Tuesdays, 1:00 – 1:40 PM

E-Mail address: [email protected]
Messenger: Marco Dumlao Mata or http://m.me/sirmarco.mata

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