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Circular Permutation in All Cases

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155 views2 pages

Circular Permutation in All Cases

Uploaded by

annikacassandrapruel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CIRCULAR PERMUTATION IN ALL CASES

Circular permutation is a fascinating concept in mathematics, particularly in the field of


combinatorics, which deals with counting and arranging objects. Unlike linear permutations, where
the order of objects in a straight line is considered, circular permutations involve arranging objects
in a circle. This introduces unique challenges and considerations because, in a circle, rotations of
the same arrangement are considered identical.

Introduction to Circular Permutation

To understand circular permutations, let's start with a simple example. Imagine you have three
different colored beads: red, blue, and green. If you were to arrange these beads in a straight line,
you would have 3! (3 factorial) permutations, which equals 6. These permutations are:

1. Red, Blue, Green


2. Red, Green, Blue
3. Blue, Red, Green
4. Blue, Green, Red
5. Green, Red, Blue
6. Green, Blue, Red

However, if you arrange these beads in a circle, the situation changes. In a circular arrangement,
the sequence Red, Blue, Green is the same as Blue, Green, Red and Green, Red, Blue because
you can rotate the circle to get from one arrangement to another. Therefore, these are not
considered distinct permutations in a circular context.

Calculating Circular Permutations

The formula for calculating the number of circular permutations of 𝑛 distinct objects is (𝑛 − 1)!.
This is because one object can be fixed in place, and the remaining 𝑛 − 1 objects can be arranged
around it.

For example, with our three beads, the number of circular permutations is (3 − 1)!, which equals 2!
or 2. The distinct circular arrangements are:

7. Red, Blue, Green


8. Red, Green, Blue

Circular Permutations with Identical Objects

The situation becomes more complex when some of the objects are identical. For instance, if you
have four beads where two are red and two are blue, the number of distinct circular permutations
is reduced because swapping the identical beads does not create a new arrangement.

To calculate the number of circular permutations when there are identical objects, you can use the
formula:

(𝑛 − 1)!
𝑝1 ! × 𝑝2 ! × … × 𝑝𝑘 !
where 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , … , 𝑝𝑘 are the counts of each type of identical object.

Example with Identical Objects

Consider arranging four beads in a circle: two red and two blue. Here, 𝑛 = 4, and there are two
identical red beads and two identical blue beads. The number of distinct circular permutations is:

(4 − 1)! 3! 6
= = = 1.5
2! × 2! 2×2 4

Since permutations must be whole numbers, this indicates that there is only 1 distinct circular
permutation.

Applications of Circular Permutations

Circular permutations are not just a theoretical concept; they have practical applications in various
fields. For example, in chemistry, circular permutations can describe the arrangement of atoms in
cyclic molecules. In computer science, they can be used in algorithms that deal with circular data
structures or in problems involving circular shifts.

Permutations of Bracelets

Bracelets introduce another layer of complexity because they can be flipped over, creating mirror
images. This means that two arrangements that are mirror images of each other are considered the
same. For a bracelet with n beads, the number of distinct permutations is given by (𝑛 − 1)!/2. This
accounts for both the circular nature and the ability to flip the bracelet. For example, if you have a
bracelet with 4 beads, the number of distinct arrangements is ((4 − 1)!)/2 = 3!/2 = 6/2 = 3.

Permutations of Necklaces

Necklaces are similar to bracelets in that they can also be flipped, but they are typically considered in
a more general sense. For a necklace with n beads, the number of distinct permutations is also
(𝑛 − 1)!/2, just like bracelets. This is because the same considerations of circular arrangements and
mirror images apply.

Conclusion

Understanding circular permutations is essential for solving problems where the arrangement of
objects in a circle is involved. The key difference from linear permutations is that rotations of the
same arrangement are not considered distinct. By using the formula (𝑛 − 1)! for distinct objects
and adjusting for identical objects, one can efficiently calculate the number of unique circular
permutations. This concept not only enriches our understanding of combinatorics but also finds
applications in various scientific and practical domains.

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