Permutations and Combinations - BVM

SYNOPSIS

LINEAR PERMUTATIONS - FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE:

 If an operation can be performed in 'm' different ways and another operation in 'n' different ways then
these two operations can be performed one after the other in 'mn' ways.
 If an operation can be performed in 'm' different ways and another operation in 'n' different ways then
either of these two operations can be performed in 'm + n' ways (provided only one has to be done).
NOTE: This principle can be extended to any number of operations.

FACTORIAL 'n' :
 The continuous product of first 'n' natural numbers is called factorial n and is denoted by n! (or) n
i.e., n! = 1 x 2 x 3 x .... (n-1) x n
n! = n [ ( n - 1 ) ! ]
 0! =1 6! = 720
1! = 1 7! = 5040
2! = 2 8! = 40320
3! = 6 9! = 362880
4! = 24 10! = 3628800
5! = 120 2n! = 2n . n! . [1.3.5 ... (2n-1)]

PERMUTATIONS:
 An arrangement that can be formed by taking some or all of a finite set of things (or objects) is called
a Permutation.
Order of the things is very important in case of permuation.
 A permutation is said to be a Linear Permutation if the objects are arranged in a line. A linear permutation
is simply called as a permutation.

PERMUTATIONS OF ‘n’ DISSIMILAR THINGS :

 The number of (linear) permutations that can be formed by taking r things at a time from a set of n
dissimilar things (r < n) is denoted by nPr or P(n, r).
 The number of permutations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time is equal to the number of ways of
filling of r blank places arranged in a row by n dissimilar things.
n!

n
Pr = n(n-1) (n-2) .... (n-r+1) =
( n  r )!
 The number of permutations of n dissimilar things taken all at a time is nPn = n!.
 n
Pr = (n-1)Pr +r . (n-1)Pr-1 or nPr + r . nPr-1 = (n+1)Pr

n
Pr = n (n-1)P(r-1) = n (n-1) . (n-2)P(r-2) etc.
n
Pr
 n
Pr 1 = (n - r + 1) .

n
 If r < s < n, then Ps is divisible by n Pr .
2 n 1
 C0  2 n 1C1  ....... 2 n 1Cn  22 n
n
Pr 1 n Pr n Pr 1
  then b  a  b  c 
2
 If
a b c
 1. 1 P1  2. 2 P2  ....  n. n Pn   n 1 Pn 1  1
 The number of injections (one one functions) that can be defined from a set containing r elements into
a set containing n elements is nPr.
 The number of bijections (one one onto functions) that can be defined from a set containing n elements
onto a set containing n elements is n!.
 Number of permutations of n different things, taken r at a time, when a particular thing is to be always
included in each arrangement, is
r.n-1Pr-1
 Number of permutations of n different things, taken r at a time, when a particular thing is never taken
in each arrangement is n-1Pr
 Number of permutations of n different things, taken all at a time, when m specified things always come
together is m!.(n - m + 1) !
 Number of permutations of n different things, taken all a time when m specified things never come
together is n! - [m! . (n - m + 1)!]
 The number of permutations of 'n' dissimilar things taken 'r' at a time when 'k' particular things never
occur is (n-k)Pr.
 The number of permutations of 'n' dissimilar things taken 'r' at a time when k (<r) particular things
always occur is (n-k)P(r-k) . rPk.
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things (m
+ 1 > n) can be arranged in a row so that no two things of second type come together is m! (m+1)Pn.
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things
can be arranged in a row so that all the second type of things come together is
n! (m+1)!.
 The number of ways in which n (first type of different) things and ( n-1) (second type of different) things
can be aranged in a row so that no two things of same type come together is n! (n-1)!.
 The number of ways in which n (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things can
be arranged in a row alternatively is
2 . n! . n!.
 To arrange boys and girls in a row alternately, they should be equal in number or with difference 1.
Other wise it is not possible to arrange them alternately in a row.
 A number is divisible by 2, if the last digit is even.
 A number is divisible by 3, if the sum of the digits in the number is divisible by 3.
 A number is divisible by 4, if the last two digits of the number formed is divisible by 4.
 A number is divisible by 5, if the last digit is either 0 or 5.
 A number is divisible by 6, if the number is divisible by 2 and 3. (Even numbers whose sum of digits is
divisible by 3).
 A number is divisible by 7, if the difference between twice the digit in the units place and the number
formed by the other digits is either 0 or a multilple of 7.
Example : 504,5719
 A number is divisible by 8, if the number formed by the last three digits is divisible by 8.
Example : 2192,9128
 A number is divisible by 9, if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.
Example : 6453, 8640
 A number is divisible by 10, if the last digit is 0.
 A number is divisible by 11, if the sum of the digits in the odd places and the sum of the digits in the
even places are equal or differ by a multiple of 11.
Example : 209, 3564,
SUM OF THE NUMBERS:
 Sum of the numbers formed by taking all the given n digits (excluding 0) is
(Sum of all the n digits) x (n-1)! x (111 ... n times).
 Sum of the numbers formed by taking all the given n digits (including 0) is (sum of all the n digits)[(n-
1)! x (111 .... n times) - (n-2)! (111 .... (n-1) times)]
 Sum of all the r-digit numbers formed by taking the given n digits (excluding 0) is (sum of all the n
digits) x (n-1)Pr-1 x (111 ...... r times).
 Sum of all the r-digit numbers formed by taking the given n digits (including 0) is (sum of all the n digits)
[(n-1)Pr-1 x (111 .... r times) - (n-2)Pr-2 x (111 ... (r-1) times)].
 When n digits are given excluding zero, then the sum of digits in units place of n digited number is (n
- 1)! x sum of the numbers.
 When n digits are given excluding zero, then the sum of the value of digits in 100’s place of n digited
number is (n - 1)! x sum of the numbers x 100
PERMUTATIONS WHEN REPETITIONS ARE ALLOWED:
 The number of permutations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time when repetition of things is allowed
any number of times is nr.
 The number of permutations of n different things, taken not more than r at a time, when each thing
may occur any number of times
n(n r  1)
= n + n2 + n3 + ....+ nr =
n 1
 The number of permutations of n different things taken not more than r at a time
 = nP1 + nP2 + nP3 + ...... + nPr
 The number of permutations of ‘n’ different things taken more than ‘r’ at a time when repetitions are
allowed is

r 1 r2

n nn  nr 
n n  .......  n =
n
n 1
 Number of numbers not more than P digits, if the digits 0, 1, .... are used when repetitions of digits are
allowed is n  1 where n is number of digits including zero.
P

CIRCULAR PERMUTATIONS:
A permutation is said to be a Circular Permutation if the objects are arranged in the form of a circle (a
closed curve).
n
pr
 The number of circular permutations of 'n' dissimilar things taken 'r' at a time is
r
 The number of circular permutations of 'n' dissimilar things taken all at a time is (n-1)!.
n
pr
 The number of circular permutations of n things taken r at a time in one direction .
2r
 The number of circular permutations of 'n' dissimilar things in clock-wise direction = Number of
(n  1)!
permutations in anticlock-wise direction =
2
 The number of ways in which 'n' dissimilar things can be arranged in a circular manner such that no
(n  1)!
one will have same neighbours in any two arrangements is
2
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things,
(m > n) can be arranged in a circle so that no two things of second kind come together is (m-1)! mPn.
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things
can be arranged in a circle so that all the second type of things come together is
m! n!.
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things,
(m>n) can be arranged in the form of garland so that no two things of second kind come together is
(m  1)! mpn
2
 The number of ways in which m (first type of different) things and n (second type of different) things an
be arranged in the form of a garland so that all the second type of things come together is m! n! / 2.
PERMUTATIONS IN WHICH SOME ARE ALIKE AND THE REST ARE DIFFERENT :
 The number of permutations of n things taken all at a time when p of them are all alike and the rest are
n!
all different is
p!
 If p things are alike of one kind, q things are alike of a second kind, r things are alike of a third kind,
( p  q  r)!
then the number of permutations found with (p + q + r) things is
p! . q! . r !
COMBINATIONS:
 A selection that can be formed by taking some or all of a finite set of things (or objects) is called a
Combination.
 Formation of a combination by taking r elements from a finite set A means picking up an r element
subset of A.
In case of combination, order of the objects is not important.
 The number of combinations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time is equal to the number of r element
subsets of a set containing n elements.
 The number of combinations of n dissimilar things taken r at a time is denoted by
n n
n
Cr or C (n, r) or C  or   .
r r
n!
 n
Cr =
r! (n  r )!
 n
pr n(n  1)(n  2) ... (n  r  1)
= 
r! 1.2.3 ... r
 n
Cr = nCn-r

 n
Cr + nCr-1 = (n+1)Cr

 If nCr = nCs then r = s or r+s = n.

n
Cr n n
Cr n(n  1)
 n 1
 , n2
 etc.
Cr 1 r Cr 2 r (r  1)
n
Cr n  r 1
 n

Cr 1 r
n
Cr n
· ( n 1)

Cr n  r
 If nCr is greatest, then
n
· r= when n is even,
2
n 1 n  1
· r= or when n is odd
2 2
 m
C0 . nCr + mC1 . nCr-1 + mC2 . nCr-2 + ....
..... + mCr-1 . nC1 + mCr . nC0 = m+nCr.
 The number of combinations of n things taken
r at a time in which
· s particular things will always occur is
(n-s)
Cr-s
· s particular things will never occur is n-sCr
· s particular things always occur and p particular things never occur is (n-p-s)Cr-s.
· n different objects are in a row. The number of ways of selecting r objects at a time so that no two of

these r objects are consecutive is  n  r  1Cr

GROUPS :
 Number of ways in which (m+n) items can be divided into two unequal groups containing m and n
(m  n)!
m+n
items is Cm =
m! n!
 Number of ways of distributing (m + n) different things to two persons so that one gets m things and the
other gets n things is

 m  n !  2!
m !n !
 The number of ways in which mn different items can be divided equally into m groups, each containing
 (mn)!  1
n objects and the order of the groups is not important is  m 
 (n !)  m !
 The number of ways in which mn different items can be divided equally into m groups, each containing
 (mn)!  1  (mn)!
n objects and the order of groups is important, is  m   m! =
 (n !)  m ! (n !) m
 · The number of ways in which (m + n + p) things can be divided into three different groups of m, n and
(m  n  p )!
p things respectively is
m!.n!. p!
The required number of ways of dividing 3n things into three groups of n each
 1 (3n)!
= .
3! n! . n! . n!
· When the order of groups has importance then required number of ways = (3n)! / (n!)3.

 The number of ways in which n different things can be aranged into r different groups is n+r-1Pn or n!. n-
1
Cr-1 according to blank groups are admissible or not admissible.
 The number of ways in which n different things can be distributed into r different groups is
r r n
rn - C1 (r-1) n + C2 (r-2) n - ... + (-1) n-1 P r-1 .
Here blank groups are not allowed.
If n points on the circumference of a cicle are given, then
 number of straight lines = nC2 .
 number of triangles = nC3
 number of quadrilaterals = nC 4 ....so on.
n( n  3)
 If a polygon has 'n' sides then the number of diagonals in it is nC2 - n (or) .
2
 In a plane there are 'n' points and no three of which are collinear except 'k' points which lie on a line.
Then
i) No. of st. lines that can be formed by joining them = nC2 - kC2 + 1.
ii) No. of triangles that can be formed by joining
them = nC3 - kC3.
 If a set of 'm' parallel lines are intersected by another set of 'n' parallel lines then the number of
parallelograms that can be formed
= (mC2 ).(nC2)
n

 Number of rectangles of any size in a square of n x n is r

r 1
3
and number of squares of any size is

r r 1
2
.

np
 In a rectangle of n x p (n < p) number of rectangles of any size is (n+1) (p+1) and number of
4
squares of any size is
n

 r 1
(n+1-r) (p+1-r).

 Number of rectangles on a chess board (including squares) = 1296

 Number of squares on a chess board (exclusively squares) = 204
 Number of rectangles on a chess board which are not squares = 1092.
 The number of ways of answering one or more of n questions is 2n - 1.
 The number of ways of answering one or more of n questions when each question have an alternative
is 3n - 1.
 The number of ways of answering all of n questions when each question have an alternative is 2n.
PROBLEMS BASED ON CERTAIN THEOREMS ON COMBINATIONS :
 The total number of combinations of
(p1 + p2 + .... pk) things taken any number at a time when p1 things are alike of one kind, p2 things are
alike of second kind, ... pk things are alike of kth kind, is
(p1 + 1) (p2 +1) .... (pk + 1).
 The total number of combinations of (p1+p2+...pk) things taken one or more at a time when p1 things are
alike of one kind, p2 things are alike of second kind, .... pk things are alike of kth kind, is (p1 + 1) (p2 + 1)
... (pk + 1) - 1.
 The total number of combinations of n different things taken any number at a time is 2n none or more at a
time
 The total number of combinations of n different things taken one or more at a time is 2n - 1.
   k
 Let N = p1 1 . p2 2 . p3 3 ...... pk where p1 , p2 , p3 , .... pk are different primes and  1,  2 ,  3, ...  k
are natural numbers then
· The total number of divisors of N including 1 and N = (  1 + 1) (  2 + 1) (  3 + 1) .... (  k + 1)
 · The total number of divisors of N excluding 1 and N = (  1 + 1) (  2 + 1) (  3 + 1) .... (  k + 1) - 2
· The total number of divisors of N excluding either 1 or N = (  1 + 1) (  2 + 1) (  3 + 1) .... (  k + 1)
-1
· The sum of all divisors
 p11 1  1   p2 2 1  1   pk  k 1  1 

=    ......  
   p 1 
 p1  1   p2  1   k 
· The number of ways in which N can be resolved as a product of two factors
(1 1)( 2 1) ..... ( k 1)
; if N is not a perfect square
2
(1 1)( 2 1) ..... ( k 1) 1
; if N is a perfect square
2
· For every numbr N, 1 and itself (N) are always divisors. These two are called trivial divisors and
other divisors are called Non-trivial divisors.
· If N  21.3 2 .53 .7 4 ................
1) The total number of divisors of N are

 1  1  2  1 3  1  4  1 .............

2) The total number of odd divisors of N are

  2  1  3  1  4  1 .............

3) The total number of even divisors of N are
1   2  1 3  1  4  1 .............
4) The sum of all the divisors of N are

 21 1  1   32 1  1   53 1  1 

    ............
 2 1   3 1   5 1 
5) The sum of all odd divisors of N are

 32 1  1   53 1  1   7 4 1  1 
     ............
 3  1  5  1   7  1 
6) The sum of all even divisors of N are
( 4) - (5).

n  n   n   n 
 If P is a prime and P r divides n! then r      2    3   .....  k  where k  Z  and
P P  P  P 
P k  n  P k 1
 If n !  2 3 5 7 .... where      ......... then n! ends with  zeros (i.e. that is exponent of 5).

1 1 1
  ;   x  n  y  n   n2
x y n x, y , n  N
 The integer solutions of the equation

n2
 x  n ; y  n 

where  is a divisor of n2
The number of positive integer solutions (x, y) is equal to the number of divisors of n 2
 The number of ways of selecting 3 natural numbers out of

1) 2n consecutive natural numbers such that they are in AP = 2  n

C2 

2) (2n +1) consecutive natural numbers such that they are in A.P = C 2   n  1C2
n

Reason: Selecting any three number which are in AP = Selecting any two numbers whose sum is
even
 Number of selections of r things from n things when p particular things are not together in any selection

=
n
Cr  n p Cr  p
 Number of selections of r consecutive things out of n different things in a row = n - r + 1
 Number of selections of r consecutive things out of n different things around a circle

n, when r  n
= 
1, when r  n
 Number of selections of r things (r < n) out of n identical things = 1
 Number of selections of none or more things out of n identical things = n + 1
 Number of selections of one or more things out of n identical things = n
C0 C1 C2
    .....
C0  C1 C1  C2 C2  C3

Cn 1 1 n1 n
  
Cn1  Cn n  1 r 0
 r  1 
2
n n

 
i 0 j 1
n
C j . j Ci  i  j  equals = 3n  1

 selection when both (identical and distinct) objects are present

The no. of selections taking at least one out of P1  P2  .....  Pn  S objects. When P1 are a like of
one kind, P2 are alike of second kind, so on, Pn are alike of nth kind and S are distincts is

 P  1 P  1 ..... P  1 .2   1
1 2 n
S

 The total number of ways of dividing n identical items among r persons, each one of whom, can
receive 0, 1, 2, or more items (< n) is
n+r-1
Cr-1 (OR) The total number of ways of dividing n identical objects into r ordered groups, if blank
groups are allowed, is n+r-`1Cr-1.
The total number of ways of dividing n identical items among r persons, each one of whom receives at
least one item is n-1Cr-1 (OR) The number of ways in which n identical items can be divided into r,
ordered groups such that blank groups are not allowed, is n-1Cr-1.
NOTE: The number of combinations of n things taken r at a time when repetitions are allowed = the
number of combinations of (n + r - 1) things taken r at a time when repetitions are not allowed.
 The number of positive integral solutions of the equation x1 + x2 + x3 + .... + xr = n is n-1Cr-1.
 The number of non-negative integral solutions of the equation
x1 + x2 + x3 + .... + xr =n is n+r-1Cr-1.
 nr 
 Number of non negative integral solutions of x 1 x2  ..........  xr  n is Cr
 The number of ways of choosing r objects from p objects of one kind, q objects of second kind, and so
on such that none or more can be selected from each kind is the coefficient of xr in the expansion
(1 + x + x2 + .... + xp) (1 + x + x2 + ... + xq) ...
 The number of ways of choosing r objects from p objects of one kind, q objects of second kind, and so
on, such that atleast one object of each kind may be included is the coefficient of xr in the expansion
(x + x2 + ..... + xp) (x + x2 + ... + xq)...
 Results based on Multinomial Theorem
Let x1 , x2 , x3 ....xr be integers then no. of solutions of the equation x1  x2  x3 ....  xr  n is coefficient
of x n in

x a1
 x a1 1  .....  xb1  x a2

 x a2 1  ...  x b2 ..................

...... x  ar

 x ar 1  ...  x br where a1  x1  b1 , a2  x2  b2 ,........ ar  xr  br

 If there are P1 objects of one kind, P2 objects of second kind ....... Pn objects of nth kind, then no. of
 ways of selecting r objects out of  P1  P2  ....Pn  objects is coefficient of x r in

1  x  x 2
 ...x P1  1  x  x 2
 
 ...x P2 ........ 1  x  x 2  ...x Pn 
 The number of ways in which n identical things can be distributed into r different groups is
n+r-1
Cr-1 or n-1Cr-1 according as blank group are allowed or blank groups not allowed.
 Number of non negative integral solutions of x  2 y  3 z  n is coefficient of x n in

1  x  1  x 
1 1 1
1  x  2 3

 Distribution of n distinct things (items / balls) into r distinct (groups/ classes / boxes) without considering
order of group / class / boxes; the no. of ways are r n , if empty groups are allowed.
If blank or empty groups are not allowed then r  C1  r  1  C2  r  2   .... or coefficient of
n r n r n


 
r
x n in n ! e  1
x

 The number of ways in which ‘n’ identical items can be divided into r groups so that no group contains
less than ‘m’ items and more than k items (m < k) is coefficient of x n in the expansion of

x  n  r 1 m 
r
m
 x m 1  ....x k = Cr 1
 The number of ways in which n identical things can be distributed into r groups so that no group
contains less than l things and more than m things ( l < m) is coefficient of xn in the expansion of
xlr (1 - xm-l+1)r (1 - x)-r.
 Coefficient
n+r-1
of xr in the expansion of (1-x) -n is
Cr
 The number of ways in which exactly r letters can be placed in wrongly addressed envelopes when n
letters are put in n addressed envelopes is

 1 1 1 1
n
Pr . 1     ......  (1) r  .
 1! 2! 3! r!
 The number of ways in which n different letters can be put in their n addressed envelopes so that all
the letters are in the wrong envelopes

 1 1 1 1
= n! 1     ......  (1)n  .
 1! 2! 3! n !
n letters are being kept in n addressed envelopes. The number of ways that exactly one letter will go
wrong is 0.

MISCELLANEOUS :
 n straight lines are drawn in the plane such that no two lines are parallel and no three lines are concurrent.
Then the number of parts into which these lines divide the plane is equal to
n(n  1)
1+ .
2
 The number of triangles whose angular points are at the angular points of a given polygon of n sides,
1
but none of whose sides are the sides of the polygon is n(n-4) (n-5).
6
 There are n straight lines in a plane, no two of which are parallel and no three passes through the
same point. Their points of intersection are joined. Then the number of fresh lines thus introduced is
1
n(n - 1) (n - 2) (n - 3).
8
 Number of points of intersections of diagonals of a polygon of n sides which lie completely inside the
n
polygon are C4