Permutation

• In mathematics, Permutation relates to the

act of arranging all the members of a set into
some sequence or order. In other words, if the
set is already ordered, then the rearranging of
its elements is called the process of Permuting.
Permutations occur, in more or less prominent
ways, in almost every area of mathematics.
They often arise when different orderings on
certain finite sets are considered.
 Permutation
• For Example, Mohan has 3 pants and 2 shirts.
How many different pairs of a pant and a shirt,
can he dress up with?
• There are 3 ways in which a pant can be
chosen, because there are 3 pants available.
Similarly, a shirt can be chosen in 2 ways. For
every choice of a pant, there are 2 choices of a
shirt. Therefore, there are 3 × 2 = 6 pairs of a
pant and a shirt.
 Permutation
• Let us consider another problem of the same
type. Usha has 2 school bags, 3 tiffin boxes
and 2 water bottles. In how many ways can
she carry these items (choosing one each).
 Permutation
• A school bag can be chosen in 2 different
ways. After a school bag is chosen, a tiffin box
can be chosen in 3 different ways. Hence,
there are 2 × 3 = 6 pairs of school bag and a
tiffin box. For each of these pairs a water
bottle can be chosen in 2 different ways.
Hence, there are 6 × 2 = 12 different ways in
which, Usha can carry these items to school.
 Permutation
• Question no.1: Find the number of 4 letter
words, with or without meaning, which can be
formed out of the letters of the word ROSE,
where the repetition of the letters is not
allowed.
 Permutation
• Solution: There are as many words as there are ways of
filling in 4 vacant places by the 4 letters, keeping in mind
that the repetition is not allowed. The first place can be filled
in 4 different ways by anyone of the 4 letters R,O,S,E.
Following which, the second place can be filled in by anyone
of the remaining 3 letters in 3 different ways, following
which the third place can be filled in 2 different ways;
following which, the fourth place can be filled in 1 way.
• Thus, the number of ways in which the 4 places can be filled,
by the multiplication principle, is 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24. Hence,
the required number of words is 24.
 Permutation
• Same Question: If the repetition of the letters
was allowed, how many words can be formed?
 Permutation
• One can easily understand that each of the 4
vacant places can be filled in succession in 4
different ways. Hence, the required number of
words = 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 = 256
 Permutation
• Question no. 2: How many 2 digit even
numbers can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 if the digits can be repeated?
 Permutation
• Solution: There will be as many ways as there are
ways of filling 2 vacant places in succession by the
five given digits. Here, in this case, we start filling
in unit’s place, because the options for this place are
2 and 4 only and this can be done in 2 ways;
following which the ten’s place can be filled by any
of the 5 digits in 5 different ways as the digits can
be repeated. Therefore, by the multiplication
principle, the required number of two digits even
numbers is 2 × 5, i.e., 10.
 Permutation
• Question no. 3: Find the number of different
signals that can be generated by arranging at
least 2 flags in order (one below the other) on
a vertical staff, if five different flags are
available.
 Permutation
• Solution: A signal can consist of either 2 flags,
3 flags, 4 flags or 5 flags. Now, let us count the
possible number of signals consisting of 2
flags, 3 flags, 4 flags and 5 flags separately
and then add the respective numbers. There
will be as many 2 flag signals as there are
ways of filling in 2 vacant places in succession
by the 5 flags available. By Multiplication
rule, the number of ways is 5 × 4 = 20
 Permutation
• Similarly, there will be as many 3 flag signals
as there are ways of filling in 3 vacant places
in succession by the 5 flags.
 Permutation
• The number of ways is 5 × 4 × 3 = 60.
• Continuing the same way, we find that The
number of 4 flag signals = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 = 120.
• The number of 5 flag signals = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×
1 = 120.
• Therefore, the required no of signals = 20 + 60
+ 120 + 120 = 320.
 Permutation
• Question no. 4: How many 5-digit telephone
numbers can be constructed using the digits 0
to 9 if each number starts with 67 and no digit
appears more than once?
• Question no. 5: A coin is tossed 3 times and
the outcomes are recorded. How many
possible outcomes are there?
 Permutation
• Factorial notation: The notation n! represents the
product of first n natural numbers, i.e., the product 1 × 2
× 3 × . . . × (n – 1) × n is denoted as n!. We read this
symbol as ‘n factorial’.
• Thus, 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 . . . × (n – 1) × n = n !
• 1=1!
• 1×2=2!
• 1× 2 × 3 = 3 !
• 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 = 4 ! and so on.
• We define 0 ! = 1
 Permutation
• We can write 5 ! = 5 × 4 ! = 5 × 4 × 3 ! = 5 × 4
× 3 × 2 ! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1!
• Clearly, for a natural number n
• = n ! = n (n – 1) !
• = n (n – 1) (n – 2) ! [provided (n ≥ 2)]
• = n (n – 1) (n – 2) (n – 3) ! [provided (n ≥ 3)]
and so on.
 Permutation Theorem
• Theorem 1: The number of permutations of
n different objects taken r at a time, where 0
< r ≤ n and the objects do not repeat is n ( n
– 1) ( n – 2). . .( n – r + 1), which is denoted
by n P r i.e.
• n P r  = n ( n – 1) ( n – 2)( n – 3). . .( n – r
+ 1) or
• n P r = n! / (n−r) !
 Permutation Theorem
• Let us assume that there are r boxes and each of them
can hold one thing. There will be as many
permutations as there are ways of filling in r vacant
boxes by n objects.
• No. of ways the first box can be filled: n
• No. of ways the second box can be filled: (n – 1)
• No. of ways the third box can be filled: (n – 2)
• No. of ways the fourth box can be filled: (n – 3)
• No. of ways rth box can be filled: (n – (r – 1))
 Permutation Theorem
• Therefore, no. of ways of filling in r boxes in succession
can be given by:
• n (n – 1) (n – 2) (n – 3) . . . (n – (r – 1))
• This can be written as:
• n (n – 1) (n – 2) … (n – r + 1)
• The no. of permutations of n different objects taken r at a
time, where 0 < r ≤ n and the objects do not repeat is:
• n (n – 1) (n – 2) (n – 3) . . . (n – r + 1).
• ⇒    n P r  = n ( n – 1) ( n – 2)( n – 3). . .( n – r + 1)
• ⇒ n
P r = n! / (n−r) !
 Permutation Theorem
• Other Points:
1. If r = n, then
• n P n = n! / n! - n! = n!
2. If r = n-1, then
• n P n-1 = n! / n! - n! – 1!
• = n! / n! -n! + 1!
• = n! / 1! = n! { as, 1!=1}.
• Hence n P n = n P n-1 = n!
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 6: i) 6 P 4,
• ii) 7 P 7,
• iii) 7 P 4 - 8 P 3
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 7: Meena has 4 chairs and she
wants to place 3 dolls on these chairs. In how
many possible ways can she do this?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 8: How many 3 letter words
with or without meaning can be formed out of
the letters of the word SMOKE when repetition
of words is allowed?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 9: n P5 : n P 3 = 2:1, then find the
value of x?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 10: Four Students enters a cabin
found that there were seven chairs vacant.
Find in how many ways the seats can be
filled?
 Permutation Questions
• Theorem 2: The number of Permutation of n
different objects taken all at a time when p
objects are of one kind, q object are of another
kind, r object are still of another kind and the
rest of all of different = n! / p! x q! x r!
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 11: In how many ways the
letters of the word MISSISSIPPI can be
arranged?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 12: In how many ways the
letters of the word LEADER can be arranged?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 13: In how many different ways
the letters of the word OPTICAL can be
arranged so that atleast one vowel always
come together?
• Question no. 13: In how many different ways
the letters of the word OPTICAL can be
arranged so that the vowels always come
together?
• N! / p!q!r! = OPTICAL= OIA = PTCL = 4+1 = 5!
• OIA = 3! = 5!.3! = 720
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 14: In how many different ways
the letters of the word “CORPORATION” can
be arranged so that the vowels always come
together?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 15: How many 3-letter words
can be formed out of the word
“LOGARITHMS” with or without meaning, if
repetition of letters is not allowed?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 16: There are 5 White, 4 Black
and 3 Orange balloons in a bag. All the 12
Balloons are drawn one by one and arranged
in a row. Find out the number of different
arrangements possible?
 Permutation Questions
• Question no. 17: In how many ways the
letters of the word “COMMERCE” can be
arranged?