82 Chapter 5

☞ Observe that in the last fraction, there are k factors in both the numerator and denominator. Also, observe
the boundary conditions        
n n n n
= = 1, = = n.
0 n 1 n−1

533 Example We have

 
6 6·5·4
= = 20,
3 1·2·3
 
11 11 · 10
= = 55,
2 1·2
 
12 12 · 11 · 10 · 9 · 8 · 7 · 6
= = 792,
7 1·2·3·4·5·6·7
 
110
= 110,
109
 
110
= 1.
0

☞ Since n − (n − k) = k, we have for integer n, k, 0 ≤ k ≤ n, the symmetry identity

   
n n! n! n
= = = .
k k!(n − k)! (n − k)!(n − (n − k))! n−k

This can be interpreted as follows: if there are n different tickets in a hat, choosing k of them out of the hat is the
same as choosing n − k of them to remain in the hat.

534 Example    
11 11
= = 55,
9 2
   
12 12
= = 792.
5 7

535 Definition Let there be n distinguishable objects. A k-combination is a selection of k, (0 ≤ k ≤ n) objects from the n
made without regards to order.

536 Example The 2-combinations from the list {X,Y, Z,W } are

XY, XZ, XW,Y Z,YW,W Z.

537 Example The 3-combinations from the list {X,Y, Z,W } are

XY Z, XYW, XZW,YW Z.

  Let there be n distinguishable objects, and let k, 0 ≤ k ≤ n. Then the numbers of k-combinations of these n
538 Theorem
n
objects is .
k

Proof: Pick any of the k objects. They can be ordered in n(n − 1)(n − 2) · · ·(n − k + 1), since there are n ways of
choosing the first, n − 1 ways of choosing the second, etc. This particular choice of k objects can be permuted in
k! ways. Hence the total number of k-combinations is
 
n(n − 1)(n − 2) · · ·(n − k + 1) n
= .
k! k