Logic and Discrete Mathematics

Section 6.5
Generalized Permutations, Distributions
and the Multinomial Theorem

Slides version: January 2015

 A Problem

Determine the number of arrangements of the letters in the

word address.
 Generalized Permutations Formula

Theorem
Given a collection of n objects, consisting of ri indistinguishable
objects of type i for 1 ≤ i ≤ m such that r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n,
the number of arrangements of these n objects is given by

P(n; r1 , r2 , · · · , rm )
    
n n − r1 n − r1 − r2 − · · · − rm−1
= ···
r1 r2 rm
n!
=
r1 !r2 !r3 ! · · · rm !
 Examples

1. How many ways are there to roll a die 7 times to obtain a

sequence of outcomes that contains 3 ones, 2 fours and 2
sixes?
 Examples

1. How many ways are there to roll a die 7 times to obtain a

sequence of outcomes that contains 3 ones, 2 fours and 2
sixes?
2. How many ways are there to arrange the letters in the word
BANANA so that the two Ns are not consecutive?
 Examples

1. How many ways are there to roll a die 7 times to obtain a

sequence of outcomes that contains 3 ones, 2 fours and 2
sixes?
2. How many ways are there to arrange the letters in the word
BANANA so that the two Ns are not consecutive?
3. Determine the number of different arrangements of the
letters in the word SECESSION.
 Examples

1. How many ways are there to roll a die 7 times to obtain a

sequence of outcomes that contains 3 ones, 2 fours and 2
sixes?
2. How many ways are there to arrange the letters in the word
BANANA so that the two Ns are not consecutive?
3. Determine the number of different arrangements of the
letters in the word SECESSION.
3.1 How many have two consecutive Es?
 Examples

1. How many ways are there to roll a die 7 times to obtain a

sequence of outcomes that contains 3 ones, 2 fours and 2
sixes?
2. How many ways are there to arrange the letters in the word
BANANA so that the two Ns are not consecutive?
3. Determine the number of different arrangements of the
letters in the word SECESSION.
3.1 How many have two consecutive Es?
3.2 How many have two or more consecutive Ss?
 The Problem (1)

PROBLEM
How many ways are there to distribute n distinct objects into m
distinct boxes or to n different recipients?
 The Problem (1)

PROBLEM
How many ways are there to distribute n distinct objects into m
distinct boxes or to n different recipients?

ANSWER
Line up the n objects and stamp each one with the number of
the box into which it is to go. For each object there are m
choices, so there are mn ways of completing this process.
 The Problem (2)

Add the restriction that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m, ri objects must go

into box i, and r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n.
 The Problem (2)

Add the restriction that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m, ri objects must go

into box i, and r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n.
Then we begin by selecting
r1 objects for box 1 (in C(n, r1 ) ways),
 The Problem (2)

Add the restriction that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m, ri objects must go

into box i, and r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n.
Then we begin by selecting
r1 objects for box 1 (in C(n, r1 ) ways),
r2 objects for box 2 (in C(n − r1 , r2 ) ways)
 The Problem (2)

Add the restriction that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m, ri objects must go

into box i, and r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n.
Then we begin by selecting
r1 objects for box 1 (in C(n, r1 ) ways),
r2 objects for box 2 (in C(n − r1 , r2 ) ways)
and continuing in this way we see that there are
     
n n − r1 n − r1 − r2 n − r1 − r2 − · · · − rn−1
···
r1 r2 r3 rn

ways in which to complete this procedure.

 Distributions: Theorem

The number of ways to distribute n distinct objects into m

distinct boxes if ri objects are to go into box i, for 1 ≤ i ≤ m,
where r1 + r2 + · · · + rm = n, is equal to

C(n; r1 , r2 , n3 , . . . , rm )
     
n n − r1 n − r1 − r2 n − r1 − r2 − · · · − rm−1
= ···
r1 r2 r3 rm
n!
=
r1 !r2 !r3 ! · · · rm !
 Distributions: Examples

In how many ways can a city council of 30 be divided into 5

committees (with each member serving on exactly one
committee) if:
1. there are no restrictions, i.e. committees may also be
empty?
 Distributions: Examples

In how many ways can a city council of 30 be divided into 5

committees (with each member serving on exactly one
committee) if:
1. there are no restrictions, i.e. committees may also be
empty?
2. each committee must consist of 6 members?
 Distributions: Examples

In how many ways can a city council of 30 be divided into 5

committees (with each member serving on exactly one
committee) if:
1. there are no restrictions, i.e. committees may also be
empty?
2. each committee must consist of 6 members?
3. committee A must have 7 members;
committee B must have 3 members;
committee C must have 6 members;
committee D must have 4 members;
committee D must have 10 members?
 Distributions: Examples (2)

How many ways are there to distribute 7 different books to 5

people if
1. no restrictions apply?
 Distributions: Examples (2)

How many ways are there to distribute 7 different books to 5

people if
1. no restrictions apply?
2. each person must receive at least one book?
 The Multinomial Theorem

Let n and m be positive integers. Then

(x1 + x2 + · · · + xm )n
 
n
x1r1 x2r2 · · · xm
X
rm
=
r1 +r2 +···+rm =n
r1 , r2 , . . . , rm
n!
x1r1 x2r2 . · · · xm
X
nm
=
r1 +r2 +···+rm
r !r
=n 1 2
! · · · r m !
 Examples

1. Find the coefficient of x 2 y 2 z 3 in the expansion of

(x + y + z)7 .
 Examples

1. Find the coefficient of x 2 y 2 z 3 in the expansion of

(x + y + z)7 .
2. Find the coefficient of x 2 yz 3 in the expansion of
(3x + 4y − 7z)6 .
 Summary
Counting problem Solution

Number of arrangements of n objects, consisting of ri P(n; r1 , r2 , r3 , . . . , rm )

identical
Pm objects of type i, for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m, where
i=1 ri = n.

Number of distributions of n distinct objects to m distinct mn

recipients.

Number of distributions of n distinct objects to m distinct C(n; r1 , r2 , r3 , . . . , rm )

P with ri going to recipient i, for each 1 ≤ i ≤ m,
recipients,
where m i=1 ri = n.

Number of partitions of a set of cardinality

P n into m sub- C(n; r1 , r2 , r3 , . . . , rm )
sets Si with |Si | = ri for 1 ≤ i ≤ n and m
i=1 ri = n.
!
r r Pm n
Coefficient of x11 x22 · · · xmrm
with i=1 ri = n in the expan-
r1 , r2 , r3 , . . . , rm
sion of (x1 + x2 + · · · + xm )n .