Permutations and Combinations

A permutation is an arrangement with an order and the order is relevant. The permutation
ABC is different to the permutation ACB.

A combination is a collection of things without an order or where the order is not relevant. The
combination ABC is the same as the combination ACB.

PERMUTATIONS WITH REPETITION

Most examples can be approached in two different ways, by filling in boxes, or by using
formulas.

If the ordering is relevant, repetitions are allowed and there are 𝑛𝑛 objects to choose from,
then there are 𝑛𝑛𝑟𝑟 different arrangements of 𝑟𝑟 objects possible.

Example
Choose a 4 digit PIN from the digits 0 to 9. Repetition is allowed.
(a) Think of the number of ways you can fill the four places by filling in boxes

Number of ways to do this 10 10 10 10

10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 104 = 10000
(b) Use the formula 𝑛𝑛𝑟𝑟 = 104 = 10000

PERMUTATIONS WITHOUT REPETITION

Most examples can be approached in two different ways, by filling in boxes, or by using
formulas.

If the ordering is relevant, repetitions are not allowed and

there are 𝑛𝑛 objects to choose from, then there are
𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛𝑃𝑃𝑟𝑟 = (𝑛𝑛−𝑟𝑟)!

different arrangements of 𝑟𝑟 objects possible.

Some books use different notations.

𝑛𝑛!
P(n,r) = nPr = nPr = (𝑛𝑛−𝑟𝑟)!
You have an nPr button on your calculator.

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 Permutations and Combinations 2

Example
From a group of 10 people in the club choose 3 different people to be president, secretary
and treasurer.
Number of ways to do this 10 9 8 = 10 × 9 × 8 = 720
10! 10×9×8×7×6×5×4×3×2×1
OR nPr = = = 10 × 9 × 8 = 720
7! 7×6×5×4×3×2×1

COMBINATIONS WITHOUT REPETITION

If the ordering is not relevant, repetitions are not allowed and
there are 𝑛𝑛 objects to choose from, then there are
𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛𝐶𝐶𝑟𝑟 = 𝑟𝑟!(𝑛𝑛−𝑟𝑟)!

different combinations of 𝑟𝑟 objects possible.

Since we do not care about the order of the 𝑟𝑟 objects 𝑛𝑛𝐶𝐶𝑟𝑟 is the number of ways to arrange 𝑟𝑟
objects without repetition given 𝑛𝑛 objects, 𝑛𝑛𝑃𝑃𝑟𝑟 , divided by the number of ways of arranging
𝑛𝑛!
those 𝑟𝑟 objects, 𝑟𝑟!. That is 𝑛𝑛𝐶𝐶𝑟𝑟 = = 𝑛𝑛𝑃𝑃𝑟𝑟 ÷ 𝑟𝑟!
𝑟𝑟!(𝑛𝑛−𝑟𝑟)!

Some books use different notations.

𝑛𝑛!
C(n,r) = nCr = nCr =
𝑟𝑟!(𝑛𝑛−𝑟𝑟)!
You have an nCr button on your calculator.

Example
From a group of 10 people, select 3 people to form a committee.
10! 10×9×8×7×6×5×4×3×2×1 10×9×8
10C3 = = = =120
7!×3! (7×6×5×4×3×2×1)×(3×2×1) 3×2×1

COMBINATIONS WITH REPETITION

If the ordering is not relevant, repetitions are allowed and
there are 𝑛𝑛 objects to choose from, then there are
(𝑛𝑛 + 𝑟𝑟 − 1)!
𝐶𝐶
𝑛𝑛+𝑟𝑟−1 𝑟𝑟 =
𝑟𝑟! (𝑛𝑛 − 1)!
different combinations of 𝑟𝑟 objects possible.

You might find the notation

𝑛𝑛 + 𝑟𝑟 − 1 (𝑛𝑛 + 𝑟𝑟 − 1)!
� �=
𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟! (𝑛𝑛 − 1)!
easier to work with.

Example
We have 4 different types of flour available to make our bread; rye, wheat, barley
and soy. We need 3 cups of flour for the recipe. We can use any combination of the
flours, from all 3 cups of the same type, to each cup being a different type. How
many possible combinations are there?
Think of lining up our 4 jars of flour 𝑟𝑟 𝑤𝑤 𝑏𝑏 𝑠𝑠

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 Permutations and Combinations 3

We start from the rye jar and end at the soy jar (this requires 3 movements between
jars) and we need to take 3 scoops. We can do these in any order. Let → indicate
moving to the next jar and ∎ mean taking a cup of flour.

The sequence → ∎∎ →→ ∎ gives 2 cups wheat and 1 cup soy.

∎→∎→∎→ gives 1 cup rye, 1 cup wheat, 1 cup barley.
So we can consider the question to be rephrased as “how many ways are there to
arrange 3 ∎ (representing the 3 cups of flour) and 3 → (the moves between the 4
flour jars)”. Or equivalently how many ways can we choose 3 positions (for the 3
cups of flour) from the 6 positions available. The 6 positions are made from the 3
cups and the 4-1=3 moves between the 4 jars. So we have
�𝑟𝑟+(𝑛𝑛−1)
𝑟𝑟
� or more commonly expressed as �𝑛𝑛+𝑟𝑟−1
𝑟𝑟
�
6!
In this example �𝑛𝑛+𝑟𝑟−1
𝑟𝑟
� = �4+3−1
3
� = �63� = = 20
3!×3!

OTHER PERMUTATIONS
1. Arranging n objects when p are alike, q are alike and r are alike.

Example

How many ways are there to arrange 15 folders on a bookshelf when 4 are blue, 6
are red and 5 are yellow?
If all 15 were different the answer would be 15! Here, as we can’t tell the 4 blue
folders apart we need to dive by the 4! arrangements of these blue folders, similarly
for the red folders and the yellow folders. So there are
𝑛𝑛! 15!
= = 630630 different arrangements of our folders.
𝑝𝑝!×𝑞𝑞!×𝑟𝑟! 4!×6!×5!

2. Arranging n objects in a circle (clockwise and anticlockwise arrangements are

considered different).

This is different to arranging in a line as there is no set place to start. Placing the
first object can only be done in one way as all places are considered equivalent.
After the first object is placed it becomes the same as placing the last 𝑛𝑛 − 1 objects
in a line.
Number of ways = (𝑛𝑛 − 1)!

Example

6 people are to be seated at a circular table at a restaurant. As the waiter always

moves in a clockwise direction at this restaurant, clockwise and anticlockwise
arrangements are different. How many ways are there of arranging the customers?
(𝑛𝑛 − 1)! = 5! = 120

3. Arranging n objects in a circle when direction is not important.

As clockwise and anticlockwise are considered the same the formula becomes
(𝑛𝑛 − 1)!
2

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 Permutations and Combinations 4

Example

6 people are to be seated at a circular table for a meeting. There is no designated

head of the table so we are only interested in who is seated each side of a person.
How many different arrangements are possible?
(𝑛𝑛−1)! 5! 120
= = = 60
2 2 2

EXERCISES
1. How many ways can you form a 4-person committee from 6 men and 5 women?
(a) with no restrictions
(b) the committee has 2 men and 2 women
(c) the committee has only 1 woman

2. How many ways can you arrange 3 French books, 2 history books, and 5 maths
books if
(a) All books are different
(b) All the French books look the same, all the history books look the same and
all the maths books look the same.

3. How many number plates with 6 characters can be formed using letters and
numbers from 0 to 9
(a) With no restrictions
(b) Without repetitions
(c) If you have 3 letters followed by 3 numbers (repetition allowed)
(d) If you have 2 letters, 2 numbers, then 2 letters and the 2-digit number must
be odd.

4. How many ways can you choose a president and secretary from a club
consisting of 16 members?
(a) With no restrictions
(b) With both positions held by men, if there are 7men and 9 women
(c) If Dave is the president

5. How many ways can you pick a team of 6 players from a class of 25 students
(a) With no restrictions
(b) If Harry is not on the team
(c) If Fred and Harry always fight so you can’t have both of them on the team

6. How many ways can you arrange 8 people at a round table (clockwise and
anticlockwise arrangements are considered different)
(a) With no restrictions
(b) If George and Harry must sit next to each other
(c) If Mary refuses to sit next to George
(d) If clockwise and anticlockwise arrangements are considered equivalent.

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 Permutations and Combinations 5

ANSWERS
1. (a) 11C4 = 330
(b) 6C2 x 5C2 = 150
(c) 5 x 6C3 = 100

2. (a) 10! = 10P10 = 3628800

10!
(b) = 2520
3!×2!×5!

3. (a) 366 = 2,176,782,336

(b) 36P6 =1,402,410,240
(c) 263 x 103 = 17,576,000
(d) 262 x 10 x 5 x 262 = 22,848,800

4. (a) 16P2 = 240

(b) 7P2 = 42
(c) 1 x 15 = 15

5. (a) 25C6 = 177100

(b) 24C6 = 134596
(c) 1 x 23C5 + 1 x 23C5 + 23C6 = 168245

6. (a) 7! = 5040
(b) 6! = 6! = 1440
(c) 5040 – 1440 = 3600
7!
(d) = 2520
2

The following link is to a website that covers this material in more depth together with
an online quiz.
http://www.mathsisfun.com/combinatorics/combinations-permutations.html

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