4.

0 PERMUTATIONS AND
COMBINATIONS

4.2 Combinations

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 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, students are able to :

1) Understand the combinations of a set of

objects.

2) Determine the number of ways to form

combinations of r object from n objects.

2
 COMBINATIONS
 A combination is a selection of objects with
no consideration given to the order
(arrangement) of the object.

 So while ABC and BCA are different

permutations, they are the same
combinations of letters.

 PQR, PRQ, QPR, QRP, RPQ, RQP are

considered as 1 combination (because the
order is not considered) and 6 permutation
(because the order is considered).
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 permutations are used when order is
important.

 combinations are used when order is not

important.

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Example 1
Determine whether each of the following is a
permutation or combination:
a) 5 pictures placed in a row. (Permutation)

b) 3 story books picked from a rack. (Combination)

c) A team of 9 players chosen from a group of 20.

(Combination)

d) The arrangements of the letters in the word

OCTOBER. (Permutation)

e) Types of food in a plate taken for lunch consist of

rice, vegetables, chicken curry and prawn paste
sambal. (Combination)
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Combinations of r object from
n objects
The number of combinations of n objects taken r at a
time is nCr where
n n(n 1)( n 2)( n 3).....( n r 1)
Cr
r!
n!
r ! (n r )!
n
Pr
r!

n n!
Cr
n r !r!
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 The NOC of 3 objects A, B, C
Consider the following table; taken 2 at a time = 3C2 = 3

n taken r Combination NOC Permutation NOP

different object n n! n n!
Cr Pr
object n r !r ! n r!

A, B 2 AB 1 AB, BA 2

A, B, C 2 AB, AC, BC 3 AB, BA, AC,

6
CA, BC, CB

ABC, ACB,
A, B, C 3 ABC 1 BCA, BAC, 6
CAB,CBA

Thus, we can see that the NOC is always less than the NOP.
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Example 2
A quiz team of four is chosen from a group of 15
students. In how many ways could the team be
chosen?

Solution

15 C 15 !
1365
4 11! 4 !

Therefore the team can be chosen in 1365 ways.

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Example 3
A school committee consists of six girls and four boys. A social
sub-committee consisting of four students is to be formed. In how
many ways could the group be chosen if there are to be more girls
than boys in the group?

Solution
If there are to be more girls than boys in the group then the group
will either have
four girls and no boys or three girls and one boy
6
Four girls can be chosen in C = 15 ways
4
6 4
Three girls and one boy can be chosen in C 3 x C1 = 80 ways
Therefore the number of ways of choosing the group if there are
more girls than boys is 15 + 80 = 95 ways

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Example 4
If there are eight girls and seven boys in a class, in
how many ways could a group be chosen so that there
are two boys and two girls in the group?

Solution
8
Two girls can be chosen in C ways
2

7
Two boys can be chosen in C ways
2

Using the multiplication principle , number of ways of selecting

8 7
the group C2 C2
8! 7!
= 28 x 21 = 588
6!2! 5! 2 !
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Example 5
Given the set S = {a, b, c, d, e} consists of 5
elements. List all the subsets of S with
(a) two elements
(b) four elements

Solution
a) {ab}, {ac}, {ad}, {ae}, {bc}, {bd}, {be}, {cd}, {ce}, {de}

b) {abcd}, {abce}, {abde}, {acde}, {bcde}

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Example 6
In a football training squad of 24 people, 3 are goalkeepers, 7 are
defenders, 6 are midfielders and 8 are forwards. A final squad of 16
selected for a match must consist of 2 goalkeepers, 4 defenders, 5
midfielders and 5 forwards. Find the number of possible selections if one
particular goalkeeper, 2 particular defenders, 3 particular midfielders and
3 particular forwards are automatically selected.

Solution
1 2
Number of ways of selecting the goalkeepers = C1 C1 2
Number of ways of selecting the defenders = 2C 2 5
C2 10
Number of ways of selecting the midfielders = 3 C3 3
C2 3
Number of ways of selecting the forwards = 3 5
C3 C2 10
Number of ways of selecting the squad
= 2 x 10 x 3 x 10 (by using the principle of multiplication)
= 600
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Example 7 A
ABCDEFGH is a regular octagon. H B
(a) How many triangles can be formed with
C
the vertices of the octagon as vertices ?
(b) How many diagonals can be drawn by G
joining the vertices? D
F
E
Solution
(a) A triangle is formed by taking 3 of the vertices.
Number of triangles = 8C3 56

(b) A line can be formed by taking any 2 points from the 8

vertices of the octagon.
Number of lines formed = 8C 2 28

These 28 lines include the 8 sides of the octagon

Thus the number of diagonals = 28 – 8
= 20

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Example 8
15 students are divided into 3 groups, with A having 7
students, group B having 5 students and group C having 3
students. Find the number of ways to form
a) the 3 groups
b) the 3 groups with 2 given students must be in group A.

Solution
15C x 8C5 x 3C3 = 360360
a) The NOC = 7

b) The NOC = (2C2 x 13C5 ) x 8C5 x 3C3 = 72072

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Example 9
A 3 member committee is to be formed from 4 couples of
husband and wife. Find the possible number of committees
that can be formed if
a) all the members are men
b) the husband and the wife cannot be in the committee at
the same time.

Solution

a) The NOC = 4C = 4 ways.

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b) The number of selecting 3 groups from 4 groups = 4C3

The number of choosing a person from each of the 3

groups selected = 2C1 x 2C1 x 2C1 = 8

Thus, the NOC = 4C x 2C1 x 2C1 x 2C1 = 32 ways

3

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Example 10
In a test, a candidate is required to answer 8 out of 10
questions. Find the number of ways a candidates
a) can answer the questions
b) can answer the question if the first 3 questions must be
answered.

Solution
10
a) The NOC = C 8 = 45
3 7
b) The NOC = C 3x C 5 = 21

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Example 11
In how many ways can a teacher choose one or
more students as a prefects from 5 eligible
students?

Solution

The NOC is may be one or two or three or four or five person

chosen
5 5 5 5 5
= C1 + C2 + C3 + C4 + C5
= 66

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