Given 3 people, Bob, Mike and Sue, how many different ways can these three people be arranged

where order matters? Let BMS stand for the order of Bob on the left, Mike in the middle and Sue on the right. Since order matters, a different arrangement is BSM. Where Bob is on the left, Sue is in the middle and Mike is on the right. If we find all possible arrangements of Bob, Mike and Sue where order matters, we have the following: BMS, BSM, MSB, MBS, SMB, SBM The number of ways to arrange three people three at a time is: 3! = (3)(2)(1) = 6 ways Consider the following: Given 4 people, Bob, Mike, Sue and Alice, how many different ways can these three people be arranged where order matters? If we find all possible arrangements of Bob, Mike, Sue and Alice where order matters, we have the following: BMSA, BSMA, BMAS, BSAM,

Now Suppose we want to take these four people and arrange them in groups of three at a time where order matters. The following demonstrates all the possible arrangements. BMS, MBS, SBM, ABM, BSM, MSB, SMB, AMB, BAS, MAS, SBA, ABS, BSA, MSA, SAB, ASB, BMA, MBA, SMA, AMS, BAM MAB SAM ASM

There are 24 ways to arrange 4 objects taken 3 at a time. The answer again is 24, but for a different reason. To find the value 24 mathematically we must use the permutation formula. The permutation formula is when order matters.

Example 1: Find the number of ways to arrange 4 people in groups of 3 at a time where order matters. Solution:

There are 24 ways to arrange 4 items taken 3 at a time when order matters. ________________________________________________________ _ Example 2: Find the number of ways to arrange 6 items in groups of 4 at a time where order matters.

Solution:

There are 360 ways to arrange 6 items taken 4 at a time when

BAMS, MBSA, MABS, MSBA, SBMA, SMBA, SABM, ABMS, AMBS, ASBM,

BASM MBAS, MASB, MSAB SBAM, SMAB, SAMB ABSM, AMSB, ASMB

order matters. Combinations

There are 24 ways to arrange the four people four at a time, or 4!

Summary If you want to arrange 3 people in groups of 3 at a time, there are 3! ways to accomplish this task. If you want to arrange 4 people in groups of 4 at a time, there are 4! ways to accomplish this task. If you want to arrange n objects in groups of n at a time, there are n! ways to accomplish this task.