PERMUTATIONS

Permutations
Permutation is an arrangement of things called
elements with a definite order.

Principle:

If a thing can be done in h1 ways and if, after it has

been done, a second thing can be done in h2
ways, then the two things can be done in h1h2
ways in the indicated order.
Example:
In how many ways can a boy and a girl be selected
from a group of 5 boys and 8 girls?
Solution:

The boy can be selected in 5 ways, and after that is

done, the girl can be selected in 8 ways: hence a
boy and a girl can be selected in
5 8 = 40 ways
Example 2
 Let's say that you want to flip a coin and roll a die. There are 2
ways that you can flip a coin and 6 ways that you can roll a die.

So how many ways can you flip a coin and roll a die?
2 = number of ways to flip a coin (m)
6 = number of ways to roll a die (n)

= mn
=2x6
= 12 ways to flip a coin and roll a die
Example 3
 If you want to draw 2 cards from a standard deck of 52 cards
without replacing them.

how many ways can we draw the two cards?

52 ways to draw the first card (m)

51 ways to draw the second card (n)

so there are a total of 52*51 = 2652 ways to draw the

two cards.
Example 4
 When building a house, Bob can choose from four different
lots, three different house styles, and five different floor
plans. How many different possibilities are there for building
a house?

 Answer:
(# lots) x (# styles) x ( # floor plans)
4 x 3 x 5 = 60
Example:
In the Philippines, automobile license-plates
contain three different digits. How many
license plates can be made following such
inscription? (Assume no digit and no letter
is repeated.)
Example:
In the Philippines, automobile license-plates contain three
different digits. How many license plates can be made
following such inscription? (Assume no digit and no
letter is repeated.)
Solution:
There are 26 letters; hence, the first of the three letters
can be chosen in 26 ways. Since the two succeeding
letter must be different, the second can be chosen in 25
ways and the third in 24 ways. Similarly, the first digit
can be selected in 10 ways, the second in 9 ways, and the
third in 8 ways. Hence, from the three letters and three
digits, 26 25 24 10 9 8 = 11,232,000 license
plates can be made.
Example:
1)How many ways are there to select a first-prize
winner, a second-prize winner and a third-prize
winner from 100 different people who have entered
a contest?

2) Suppose that a saleswoman has to visit eight

different cities. She must begin her trip to a specified
city, but she can visit the other seven cities in any
order she wishes. How many possible orders can the
saleswoman use when visiting those cities?
A. Permutation of n different elements
taken at r at a time, nPr
𝑛!
𝑛P𝑟 =
𝑛−𝑟 !
A. Permutation of n different elements
taken at r at a time, nPr
𝑛!
𝑛P𝑟 =
𝑛−𝑟 !

Example: For letters a,b,c the number of

permutation taken 2 at a time is,
Solution:
3!
3 P2 = = 6 ways
3−2 !
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation
taken 2 at a time is,

Another Solution:
ab, ba, ac, ca, bc, cb = 6 ways
Example:
In a game, ten players which are numbered
from 1 to 100 compete for the first three
slots in the game. In how many ways can the
numbers be arranged 3 at a time?
Solution:

10! 10∗9∗8∗7∗6∗5∗4∗3∗2∗1
P=
10 3 = =
10−3 ! 7∗6∗5∗4∗3∗2∗1
720ways
B. Permutation of n different elements
taken all (r=n) at a time, P=n!
𝑛P𝑛 = n!
Example:
Find the number of five-digit numbers that
can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5 if no digit is repeated.
Solution:
Five elements taken five at a time

5 P5= 5! = 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1 = 120 ways

B. Permutation of n different elements
taken all (r=n) at a time, P=n!
𝑛P𝑛 = n!
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation
taken all at a time is,
Solution:
3P3= 3! = 6 ways
Example:
For letters a,b,c the number of permutation taken
all at a time is,

Another Solution:
abc, acb, bca, bac, cab, cba = 6 ways

Or by Fundamental Principle,
N! = n(n-1)(n-2)..
3 2 1 = 6 ways
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
𝑛! 𝑛!
𝑛P(𝑛 − s) = =
(𝑛− 𝑛−𝑠) ! s!
Where s is the number of time the element is
repeated in the set.
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
𝑛! 𝑛!
𝑛P(𝑛 − s) = =
(𝑛− 𝑛−𝑠) ! s!
Where s is the number of time the element is
repeated in the set.
Example:
Consider the word “green”, there are 5
elements namely g,r,e,e,n, with e appearing
twice.
C. Permutation of n elements some of
which are alike, nP(n-s)
Thus some of the permutations are:
Green
Grnee
Gnree
Neerg
Since n =5 and s=2, then the total number of
permutations is
𝑛! 5!
nPn-s = = = 60 ways
s! 2!
Theorem of permutation of like
elements,
𝑛!
𝑃=
𝑛1 ! 𝑛2 ! 𝑛3 ! … 𝑛k !
Where:
𝑛1 , 𝑛2 , 𝑛3 , 𝑛k = number of elements which are alike
𝑛 = Total number of elements in a given set
Example:
1. In how many ways can the letters of the word
“Philippines” be arranged?
2. “committee”
D. Cyclic Permutations
If the permutation of an element is such that
each element is adjacent to each others (as
in round table), we have a cyclic or circular
or ring permutation. The number of cyclic
permutations of n elements is (n-1)!
D. Cyclic Permutations
Example:
In how many different ways can 12 beads be
strung on a necklace?

Solution:
(n-1)! = (12-1)! = 39,916,800 ways
COMBINATION
Combinations (C)
 It is the selection of things considered without regard
to order
 Grouping of things where arrangement is immaterial.
 Arrangement without definite order
Combinations (C)
1. The number of combinations of n elements taken r at a
time, nCr.
𝑛!
𝑛𝐶𝑟 =
𝑟! 𝑛 − 𝑟 !
2. The number of combinations of n elements taken all at
a time.
𝑛! 𝑟!
𝑛𝐶𝑟 = = = 1 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑟 = 𝑛
𝑟! 𝑛 − 𝑟 ! 𝑟! r − 𝑟 !

3. The number of combinations of n things taken 1, 2, 3,

… n at a time is
𝐶 = 2𝑛 − 1
Combinations: Example
1. In one of the games of Ginebra with Alaska, they
only had seven able players due to injury. In how
many ways can the first 5 be chosen?

Given:
n=7
r=5
𝑛!
Solution: 𝑛𝐶𝑟 = 𝑟! 𝑛−𝑟 !
Combinations: Example
2. In how many ways can 3 boys be drawn from 20?

Given:
n = 20
r=3
Combinations: Example
3. A man wishes to employ 4 men and 2 women. In how
many ways can be the selection be made if 10 men
and 6 women are available?

4. In a group of 10 boys and 15 girls, how many

selections of 6 students are possible?
Combinations: Example
5. What if the selection must consist of 2 boys and 4
girls, how many selection are possible?

6. A bicycle shop owner has 12 mountain bikes in the

showroom. The owner wishes to select 5 of them to
display at a bicycle show. How many different ways can
a group of 5 be selected?
SEATWORK: 2D
1. a. How many ways can five people be lined up to
pay their electric bills?
b. If two particular persons refuse to follow each
other, how many ways are possible?

2. An engineering freshman must take a chemistry

course, a humanities course, and a mathematics course.
If he may be select any of 2 chemistry courses, any of 3
humanities courses, and any of 4 mathematics courses,
how many ways can he arrange his program?

3. How many distinct permutations can be made from

the letters of the word “mathematics”.

4. In how many ways can seven trees be planted in a

circle?
SEATWORK: 2B
1. From a group of three men and seven women, how many
committees of five people are possible?
a. With no restrictions?
b. With two men and three women?

2. An engineering freshman must take a chemistry course, a

humanities course, and a mathematics course. If he may be
select any of 2 chemistry courses, any of 3 humanities courses,
and any of 4 mathematics courses, how many ways can he
arrange his program?

3. How many distinct permutations can be made from the letters

of the word
a. “engineering” b. “constitution”

4. In how many ways can eleven trees be planted in a circle?

SEATWORK: 2D Answers
1. a. 120 ways b. 72 ways
2. 24 ways
3. a. 4989600 ways
4. 720 ways
SEATWORK: 2B Answers
1. a. 252 ways b. 105 ways
2. 24 ways
3. a. 277200 ways b. 9979200 ways
4. 3,628,800 ways