4.

1 Hand Out – Probability: Permutation and Combination

Name: ____________________________________________
Section: ________________________ Dategiven:02- 13 - 19 Class #__________________
Objective: Evaluate and Solve problems using Permutation and Combinations

Permutation: The term permutation refers to the Example: In how many ways can 8 individuals be
arrangement of objects with reference to order. Given seated in a row of 8 seats if two individuals
set with n objects, ten we can take r objects from the wanted to be seated side by side?
set. The total number of permutation of n objects
taken r at a time is represented by the notation Solution: In solving this problem, we have to consider
𝑛! first the two individuals who wanted to be
𝑛𝑃𝑟 = seated side by side as one individual. Hence
(𝑛 − 𝑟)!
we shall have 7 individuals taken 7 at a
Where n! is read as n factorial. time or 7𝑃7 . The next step is to consider
the permutation of the two individuals
𝑛! = 𝑛 ∗ (𝑛 − 1) ∗ (𝑛 − 2) ∗ (𝑛 − 3). . . 3 ∗ 2 ∗ 1 taken as one. We shall have 2𝑃2 . Applying
the fundamental principle of counting , we
Example1: Evaluate the value of the following: have.
a. 5!
5! = 5 ∗ 4 ∗ 3 ∗ 2 ∗ 1 = 120 7! 2!
7𝑃7 ∗ 2𝑃2 = (7−7)!
∗ (2−2)!
= 7! ∗ 2!
b. 10!
10! = 10 ∗ 9 ∗ 8 ∗ 7 ∗ 6 ∗ 5 ∗ 4 ∗ 3 ∗ 2 ∗ 1
= 3, 628, 800 7𝑃7 ∗ 2𝑃2 = 5040 ∗ 2 = 10, 080ways

𝑛! Example: Suppose 4 different mathematics books and

𝑛𝑃𝑟 = 5 different physics books shall be arranged
(𝑛 − 𝑟)!
in a shelf. In how many ways can such
Example: books be arranged if the books of the same
subject shall be placed side by side?
a. 10𝑃5
Solution: The initial step is to arrange the set of math
10! 10! 3,628,800 books a s one object and the set of physics
10𝑃5 = (10 − 5)!
= 5!
= 120 books as another object. This can be done
in 2𝑃2 ways. The second step is to
10𝑃5 = 30, 240 determine the number of permutation of 4
distinct math books. This can be done in
b. 4 ( 8𝑃4 ) 4𝑃4 ways. The next step is to determine the
total number of permutations of 5 distinct
8! 40,320
4( 8𝑃4 ) = 4 ∗ (8−4)! = 4 ∗ 24
= physics books. This can be done in 5𝑃5
4 ∗ 1680 ways. Then finally, we apply the
fundamental principle of counting.
4( 8𝑃4 ) = 6, 720
7𝑃7 ∗ 4𝑃4 ∗ 5𝑃5 = 2! ∗ 4! ∗ 5
Using Permutation in word problems: = 2 ∗ 24 ∗ 120

Example : In how many ways can a president, a vice

president, a secretary and a treasurer be 7𝑃7 ∗ 4𝑃4 ∗ 5𝑃5 = 5,760 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠
elected from a class with 39 students.
Permutation with things that are alike:
Solution: Given 39 students , we are going to fill 4
distinct position positions. Hence we can The number of permutations of n objects taken
say that: altogether, where 𝑟1 are of one kind, 𝑟2 are of the
n = 39 and r = 4 other kind and so on is given by:

39! 39! 𝑛!
39𝑃4 = = = 1, 974, 024ways 𝑛𝑃𝑛 = 𝑟1 ! ∗ 𝑟2 !∗ ...∗ 𝑟𝑘 !
(39−4)! 35!

Example: In how many ways can 8 individuals be Example: Determine the number of permutations that
seated in a row of 8 chairs? can be formed using the letters of the word
DADDY.
Solution: Generally, seating arrangements are treated
as permutation problem. Also this problem Solution: The value of n is 5. We let 𝑟1 be the number
is a case where n objects are taken of D’s ,𝑟2 be the number of A’s and 𝑟3 be the
altogether since n = 8 and r = 8 number of Y’s. Hence we can say that.
8! 8! 8! 𝑛 = 5, 𝑟𝑑 = 3, 𝑟𝑎 = 1, 𝑟𝑦 = 1
8𝑃8 = (8−8)!
= 0! = 1
= 40, 320ways
 5! 120 5!
5𝑃5 = = = 20 5𝐶2 = = 10
3! ∗ 1! ∗ 1! 6 3! 2!
Example: Find the total 7 digit numbers that can be Example: In how many ways can a committee of 3
formed using all the digits in the following members be chosen from a group with 6
numbers 5771535. members?

Solution: From the given conditions we can say that Solution: Grouping in terms of committee is treated as
combination problem since only one position is
𝑛 = 7, 𝑟5 = 3 (𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 5′ 𝑠), 𝑟7 being filled, that is committee membership.
= 2(𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 7′ 𝑠), 𝑟1 Thus, we have a situation of having 6 objects
= 1(𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑠 1′𝑠), taken 3 at a time.
𝑟3 = 1(𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑓 3′𝑠)
6! 6!
6𝐶3 = = = 20 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠
(6 − 3)! 3! 3! 3!

Example: How many ways can a student answer 5 out

7! 5040 of 8 questions?
7𝑃7 = = = 420
3! ∗ 2! ∗ 1! ∗ 1! 12
Solution: The student can answer 5 out of 8 questions
Example : In how many ways can 3 copies of Grade 7
in 8𝐶5 ways.
Math Textbook, 5 copies of Grade 8 Math 8! 8!
Textbook and 7 copies of Grade 9 8𝐶5 = = = 56 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠
(8 − 5)! 5! 3! 5!
Textbook be arranged on a shelf?
Example: In how many ways can 2 balls be drawn
Solution: From the given condition we can say that
from a box containing 7 red and 6 green balls?
𝑛 = 15, 𝑟1 = 3, 𝑟2 = 5, 𝑟3 = 7
Solution: There is no condition as to what ball must be
15! drawn from the box. Hence we are only required
15𝑃15 = 3! ∗ 5! ∗7!
= 360, 360 ways to determine the number of ways of drawing 2
balls from a box with 13 ball this can be done in
Circular Permutations
13𝐶2 ways.

In n distinct objects are arranged in a circle, 13! 13!

then the arrangement is known as circular 13𝐶2 = = = 78 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠
(13 − 2)! 2! 11! 2!
permutation. The number of circular permutations of n
objects taken altogether is Example: A box containing 7 red and 6 green balls. In
how many ways can 2 balls be drawn such that
𝑛−1𝑃𝑛−1 = (𝑛 − 1)!
a. they are both green.
Example: In how many ways can 6 individual be
seated in a round table with 6 chairs? Solution: The condition requires that the two balls
when drawn must be both green. This can be
6−1𝑃6−1 = (6 − 1)! = 5! = 120ways done in 6𝐶2 ways. Since only two balls shall be
drawn, it follows that no red ball shall be taken
Example: In how many ways 6 persons be seated
which can be done in 7𝐶0 . Hence by
around a table with 6 chairs if two individuals be
fundamental principle of counting, we have
seated side by side.
6! 7!
5−1𝑃5−1 = (5 − 1)! = 4! = 24 𝑤𝑎𝑦 6𝐶2 ∗ 7𝐶0 = ∗
(6 − 2)! 2! (7 − 0)! 0!
Combination: A counting technique were order is not
important. 6𝐶2 ∗ 7𝐶0 = 15 ∗ 1 = 15 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠

The computing formula for the combination of n b. 1 is red and 1 is green.

objects taken r at a time is given by
Solution: One red ball can be taken from 7 red balls in
𝑛! 7𝐶1 ways. One green ball can also be taken from
𝑛𝐶𝑟 = 6 green balls in 6𝐶1 was. Therefore, by the
(𝑛 − 𝑟)! 𝑟!
fundamental principle of counting, we have
Example:𝑛 = 5, 𝑟 = 2
7! 6!
5! 7𝐶1 ∗ 6𝐶1 = ∗
(7 − 1)! 1! (6 − 1)! 1!
5𝐶2 =
(5 − 2)! 2!
7𝐶1 ∗ 6𝐶1 = 7 ∗ 6 = 42 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠