Lecture 3

Combination is the number of distinct subsets, or combination, of size r that can

n!
be selected from n distinct objects ( r≤n ). It is given by the formula nCr =
r ! ( n− r ) !

Note: A problem deals with combination if the order is NOT important.

Illustration: The number of permutation ( without repetition of digits ) in the numerals

1, 2, and 3 are 123, 132, 213, 231, 231, and 321; hence equal to 6. The
listed 6 permutation is just equal to 1 combination. Using the formula
3!
3C3= =1
3! (3 − 3 ) !

Note: 0! = 1 ( by definition )

Example 1: How many committees of 5 members can be formed from 10 people?

Solution: If A is the first member of the comm. and B is the second member, then it
is just the same thing as B is the first member and A is the second
member. So this a combination problem.

Hence, n = 10 and r = 5

10 !
∴10C5 = = 252 committees
5! (10 −5 ) !

Example 2: How many different amounts of money can be made from 6 coins of
different denomination?

Solution: In this problem the order is not important since P1 coin + P5 coin is just
the same amount as P5 coin + P1 coin which are both equal to 6pesos.

6C1 = 6 amounts that can be formed by using 1 coin out of the 6 coins

6C2 = 15 amounts that can be formed by using 2 coins out of the 6 coins

6C3 = 20 amounts that can be formed by using 3 coins out of the 6 coins

6C4 = 15 amounts that can be formed by using 4 coins out of the 6 coins

6C5 = 6 amounts that can be formed using 5 coins out of the 6 coins

6C6 = 1 amount that can be formed by taking all the coins

 ∴6 + 15 + 20 + 15 + 6 + 1 = 63 different amounts of money

Example 3: How many line segment can be drawn on 5 non – collinear points?

Solution: Since 2 points determine a line and line segment AB is the same thing as
line segment BA, then this is a combination problem.

n = 5 and r = 2

5!
∴5C2 = = 10 line segments
2! ( 5 −2 ) !

Example 4: How many different committees of 4 members can be formed from 5

Republicans and 4 Democrats if

a) There is no restriction in the formation

Solution: n = 9 and r = 4

∴9C4 = 126 committees

b) Each committee is to be made-up of 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats?

∴5C2 • 4C2 = 60 committees

Note: The conjunction and implies multiplication while the conjunction or implies
addition operation.

c) At least 2 Republicans must be in the committees?

Solution: At least 2 Republicans means there can be 2 Republicans or 3

Republicans or 4 Republicans in the committees.

∴5C2 • 4C2 + 5C3 • 4C1 + 5C4 • 4C0 = 105 committees

 d) At most 2 Democrats must be in the committees?

Solution: At most 2 Democrats means there can be 2 Democrats or 1 Democrats or

none.

∴4C2 • 5C2 + 4C1 5C3 + 4C0 • 5C4 = 105 committees