Subsets of given size

Let A be a set of size |A| = n.

Recall: 2A = P(A) = powerset of A
= set of all subsets X ⊂ A. We have
proved that |2A| = 2|A| = 2n.

Define Sk to be the set of all subsets of

size k in A, ie:
Sk := {X ⊆ A | |X| = k}.
What is |Sk |?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 = {{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}} and |S1| = 4.
S2 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 = {{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}} and |S1| = 4.
S2 = {{1, 2}, {1, 3}, {1, 4}, {2, 3}, {2, 4}, {3, 4}}
and |S2| = 6.
S3 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 = {{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}} and |S1| = 4.
S2 = {{1, 2}, {1, 3}, {1, 4}, {2, 3}, {2, 4}, {3, 4}}
and |S2| = 6.
S3 = {{1, 2, 3}, {1, 2, 4}, {1, 3, 4}, {2, 3, 4}}
and |S3| = |S1| = 4.
S4 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 = {{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}} and |S1| = 4.
S2 = {{1, 2}, {1, 3}, {1, 4}, {2, 3}, {2, 4}, {3, 4}}
and |S2| = 6.
S3 = {{1, 2, 3}, {1, 2, 4}, {1, 3, 4}, {2, 3, 4}}
and |S3| = |S1| = 4.
S4 = {A} and |S4| = |S0| = 1.
S5 =?
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

S0 = {∅} and |S0| = 1.

S1 = {{1}, {2}, {3}, {4}} and |S1| = 4.
S2 = {{1, 2}, {1, 3}, {1, 4}, {2, 3}, {2, 4}, {3, 4}}
and |S2| = 6.
S3 = {{1, 2, 3}, {1, 2, 4}, {1, 3, 4}, {2, 3, 4}}
and |S3| = |S1| = 4.
S4 = {A} and |S4| = |S0| = 1.
S5 = ∅ and |S5| = 0.
Example
Let A = 4 := {1, 2, 3, 4}, then

|S0| = 1.
|S1| = 4.
|S2| = 6.
|S3| = |S1| = 4.
|S4| = |S0| = 1.
|S5| = 0.
1 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 1 = 24
Properties
Let A be a finite set of size n and k ∈ N.
Let c(n, k) denote the number of subsets
of A of size k.
1. c(n, k) = 0 ∀k > n and ∀k < 0;
c(n, 0) = 1 = c(n, n).
2. c(n, 1) = n = c(n, n − 1);
c(n, k) = c(n, n − k).
3. c(n + 1, k) = c(n, k) + c(n, k − 1).
Properties
Definition: Let n, k ∈ N. The bino-
mial coefficient ”n choose k” is
 
n n!
:= .
k k!(n − k)!

n n!


Theorem: c(n, k) = k = k!(n−k)! .
In other words, the number of subsets
of size k of an n-set is nk .


Property 3 says that binomial coefficients
can be calculated recursively, using Pas-
cal’s triangle, where each entry is the
sum of the two adjacent ones in the up-
per row.
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
 Binomial Theorem:
Let X, Y be any ‘variables’ such that
XY = Y X. Then
n  
X n
(X + Y )n = X n−k Y k
k
k=0
   
n n
= X n+ X n−1Y +· · ·+ XY n−1+Y n
1 n−1
Setting X = Y = 1, we get:
n  
n
X n
2 = .
k
k=0
Examples:

• (X + Y )2 = X 2 + 2XY + Y 2.
• (X + Y )3 = X 3 + 3X 2Y + 3XY 2 +
Y 3.
• (X + Y )4 = X 4 + 4X 3Y + 6X 2Y 2 +
4XY 3 + Y 4.
• ···
Permutations with Identical Ob-
jects
Consider the word ‘abracadabra’

Question: In how many ways can we

rearrange the letters of this words with-
out changing their multiplicity?
Permutations with Identical Ob-
jects
Consider the word ‘abracadabra’

Question: In how many ways can we

rearrange the letters of this words with-
out changing their multiplicity?

Solution:
11!
.
5! × 2! × 2!
Permutations with Identical Ob-
jects
Theorem: Let aa · · · a bb · · · b cc · · · c · · ·
be an arrangement of n - objects among
which there are n1,n2,· · · nk identical
ones (so n = n1 + n2 + · · · + nk ).

Then the number of rearrangements with-

out changing the multiplicities is
 
n n!
:= ,
n 1 , n 2 , · · · , nk n1 ! × n2 ! × · · · × nk !
Multinomial coefficient
 
n n!
:=
n 1 , n 2 , · · · , nk n1 ! × n2 ! × · · · × nk !
is called a multinomial coefficient.

Notice: If k
= 2 we get the binomial

coefficient nn1 .
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
(X + Y + Z)7 ?
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
(X + Y + Z)7 ?

Solution:
 
7 7!
= .
2, 3, 2 2! · 3! · 2!
Multinomial Theorem
General formula:

(X1 + X2 + · · · + Xk )n
X n

n
= X1n1 X2n2 · · · Xk k
n 1 , n 2 , · · · , nk

where the sum is over all k - tuples

(n1, n2, · · · , nk ) ∈ Nk0 with
n1 + n2 + · · · + nk = n.
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
F := (X + Y + Z)7 ?
G := (X + Y + Z)8 ?
H := (X + Y + Z 2)6 ?
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
F := (X + Y + Z)7 ?
G := (X + Y + Z)8 ?
H := (X + Y + Z 2)6 ?
7 7!


Solution: in F: 2,3,2 = 2!·3!·2! .
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
F := (X + Y + Z)7 ?
G := (X + Y + Z)8 ?
H := (X + Y + Z 2)6 ?
7 7!


Solution: in F: 2,3,2 = 2!·3!·2! .
in G: 0.
Multinomial Theorem
What is the coeffcient of X 2Y 3Z 2
the expansion of
F := (X + Y + Z)7 ?
G := (X + Y + Z)8 ?
H := (X + Y + Z 2)6 ?
7 7!


Solution: in F: 2,3,2 = 2!·3!·2! .
in G: 0.
in H: 60.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

1) Setup a committee of 3 persons.

Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

1) Setup a committee of 3 persons.

# = 73 = 7·6·5


3! = 35.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

1) Setup a committee of 3 persons.

# = 73 = 7·6·5


3! = 35.
unordered 3 - selection out of 7 without
repetition
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

2) Give 3 identical candies to the 7 per-

sons. Each one should receive 0 − 3 can-
dies.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

2) Give 3 identical candies to the 7 per-

sons. Each one should receive 0 − 3 can-
dies.
7+3−1

9·8·7
#= 3 = 3! = 84.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

2) Give 3 identical candies to the 7 per-

sons. Each one should receive 0 − 3 can-
dies. 7+3−1

9·8·7
#= 3 = 3! = 84.
unordered 3 - selection out of 7 with rep-
etition
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

3) Allocate 3 different hard jobs to the

7 persons. No person can do more than
one job.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

3) Allocate 3 different hard jobs to the

7 persons. No person can do more than
one job.
# = 7 × 6 × 5 = 7!/(7 − 3)! = 210.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

3) Allocate 3 different hard jobs to the

7 persons. No person can do more than
one job.
# = 7 × 6 × 5 = 7!/(7 − 3)! = 210.
ordered 3 - selection out of 7 without
repetition
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

4) Allocate 3 easy jobs to the 7 persons.

One person could possibly do all three
jobs.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

4) Allocate 3 easy jobs to the 7 persons.

One person could possibly do all three
jobs.
# = 7 × 7 × 7 = 73 = 343.
Four Main Selection Models

Given 7 persons. How many solutions

for the following task?

4) Allocate 3 easy jobs to the 7 persons.

One person could possibly do all three
jobs.
# = 7 × 7 × 7 = 73 = 343.
ordered 3 - selection out of 7 with repe-
tition
Unordered Combinations
Definition: Let A be a finite set with
|A| = n;
1) A k - combination out of A with-
out repetitions is an unordered se-
lection of k different elements of A with-
out repetitions, hence a subset X ⊆
A of size k.
The total number
  of such k - combina-
n
tions of A is .
k
2) a k - combination out of A with rep-
etitions is an unordered selection of
k elements of A with possible repe-
titions.
The total number of such k - combina-
tions of n is
 
n+k−1
.
k
Example
Let n = 3, k = 2 and A := 3 :=
{1, 2, 3}, then the k - combinations of
A with repetitions are given as follows:
 ↔ ∗ ∗ ||
1, 1
↔ ∗| ∗ |
1, 2
↔ | ∗ ∗|
2, 2
↔ ∗||∗
1, 3
↔ | ∗ |∗
2, 3
↔ || ∗ ∗
3, 3
   
3+2−1 4
= = 6.
2 2
Ordered selection
Definition: Let A be a finite set with
|A| = n. An ordered k - selection with-
out repetitions of elements of A is an
element
(a1, a2, · · · , ak ) ∈ Ak := A×A×· · ·×A
such that i 6= j ⇒ ai 6= aj .
The total number of such k - selections
is
n!
nk := = n·(n−1)·(n−2) · · · (n−k+1).
(n − k)!
Ordered selection
Definition: If k = n, then such an
ordered n - selection is called a permu-
tation of A. The total number or per-
mutations of A is
n! := 1 · 2 · 3 · · · (n − 1) · n.
Ordered selections
Definition: Let A be a finite set with
|A| = n. An ordered k - selection with
repetitions of elements of A is an ele-
ment
(a1, a2, · · · , ak ) ∈ Ak := A×A×· · ·×A.
The total number of such k - selections
is nk .
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
1) There are three different jobs to be
done in three teams, each containing 4
persons. Every person should belong to
exactly one team. How many distribu-
tions exist?
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
1) There are three different jobs to be
done in three teams, each containing 4
persons. Every person should belong to
exactly one team. How many distribu-
tions exist?

ordered partitions into 3 blocks of size

4
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
1) There are three different jobs to be
done in three teams, each containing 4
persons. Every person should belong to
exactly one team. How many distribu-
tions exist?
ordered partitions into 3 blocks of size
4
12 8 4 12




12!
# = 4 × 4 × 4 = 4,4,4 = 4!3 =
34650.
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
2) The twelve people like to play a game
which needs four people in a team. How
many divisions into three disjoint teams
exist?
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
2) The twelve people like to play a game
which needs four people in a team. How
many divisions into three disjoint teams
exist?
unordered partitions into 3 blocks of size
4
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Given 12 people.
2) The twelve people like to play a game
which needs four people in a team. How
many divisions into three disjoint teams
exist?
unordered partitions into 3 blocks of size
4
12!
#= 4!3 ·3!
= 5775.
Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.
An ordered partition of A of type (n1, · · · , nk )
is an ordered sequence
(B1, B2, · · · , Bk )
of subsets of size n1, n2, · · · , nk
such that Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ for any i 6= j and
A = B1 ] B2 ] · · · Bk .
(It follows that n1 + n2 + · · · + nk = n):
The number of those partitions is given
by the multinomial coefficient.
 
n n!
:=
n 1 , n2 , · · · , nk n1 ! · n2 ! · · · nk !
Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.
An unordered partition of A of type 1c1 · · · ici · · ·
is a set
{B1, B2, · · · , Bk }
of subsets with c1 many of size 1, c2
many of size 2 etc.,
such that Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ for any i 6= j and
A = B1 ] B2 ] · · · Bk .
(It follows that c1 +2c2 +· · ·+ici +· · · =
n):
The number of those unordered parti-
tions is given by the formula
n!
Qn c
.
i=1 (i!) ci !
i
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ ∀i 6= j
Sk
i=1 Bi = A
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ ∀i 6= j
Sk
i=1 Bi = A

type := (n1 , · · · , nk ) type := 1c1 2c2 · · · ici · · ·

Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ ∀i 6= j
Sk
i=1 Bi = A

type := (n1 , · · · , nk ) type := 1c1 2c2 · · · ici · · ·

with ni := |Bi |. ci blocks of size i.
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ ∀i 6= j
Sk
i=1 Bi = A

type := (n1 , · · · , nk ) type := 1c1 2c2 · · · ici · · ·

P ni := |Bi |.
with cP
i blocks of size i.
i ni = n i ici = n
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
ordered partition:= unordered partition :=
sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Bi ’s are called ”blocks”.

Bi ∩ Bj = ∅ ∀i 6= j
Sk
i=1 Bi = A, |A| = n

type := (n1 , · · · , nk ) type := 1c1 2c2 · · · ici · · ·

with ni := |Bi |. ci blocks of size i.
Pk P k
i=1 ni = n i=1 ici = n

n! Q n!c
# for that type: n1 !·n2 !···nk ! # for that type: .
i (i!) ci !
i
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Example: A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Example: A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

({2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}) 6= {{2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}} =

({1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}) {{1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}}.
Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Example: A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

({2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}) 6= {{2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}} =
({1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}) {{1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}}.

type := (2, 2, 1) type := 1 22 .

Ordered / Unordered Partitions
Let A be a set with |A| = n.

ordered partition:= unordered partition :=

sequence of subsets set of subsets
(B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk ) {B1 , B2 , · · · , Bk }

Example: A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

({2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}) 6= {{2, 5}, {1, 3}, {4}} =
({1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}) {{1, 3}, {2, 5}, {4}}.

type := (2, 2, 1) type := 1 22 .

5!
total # = 2!×2!×1! = 30 total # for that type:
5!
1!1 1!×2!2 2! = 15.
Unordered Partitions

Example

All unordered partitions of the set 4 :=

{1, 2, 3, 4}:
 P artition type number

4!
|1234| 41 4!1 ·1! =1

4!
1|234 2|134 3|124 4|123 11 31 1!1 1!·3!1 1! = 4
4!
12|34 13|24 23|14 22 2!2 2! = 3

4!
1|2|34 1|3|24 1|4|23 12 21 1!2 2!·2!1 1 =6
2|3|14 2|4|13 3|4|12

4!
1|2|3|4 14 1!4 4! =1

T otal 15
Unordered Partitions
How many unordered partitions of 8 with
block sizes ≥ 2?
Solution
types #
8 1

8!
26 2!6! = 28
8!
35 3!5! = 56
8!
42 (4!)2 ·2! = 35

8!
22 4 (2!)2 4!·2! = 210
8!
2 32 (3!)2 2!2! = 280

8!
24 (2!)4 4! = 3 · 7 · 5 = 105

Total: 715