NOTE

M A T H E M A T I C S

PERMUTATIONS AND
COMBINATIONS
PERMUTATION UNDER RESTRICTION

What you already know What you will learn

• Methods of counting • Permutation under restriction

• Multiplication rule and Addition rule • Gap method
• Basics of permutations • String method
• Basics of combination • Including/excluding specific objects
• Problems on deck of cards

Permutations under restrictions

Find the number of permutations of the letters of the word RANDOM such that vowels come
together.

Solution

Step 1 Step 2
Given word, RANDOM In each arrangement, two vowels can be
Here, vowels are A and O. arranged by 2! ways.
And consonants are R, N, D, and M. ∴ Total number of arrangement = 5! × 2!
We have to take all the vowels together so = 120 × 2
we will be considering them as a single unit. = 240
Hence, R, N, D, M and vowel unit, all together
make up to 5 units
∴ Number of arrangements = 5!

String method

The number of permutations of n distinct things taken all at a time when m specified things
always come together is given by (n - m + 1) ! × m!.

Solve

The number of ways in which 5 boys and 3 girls can be arranged in a row such that
(i) All the boys are together
(ii) All the girls are not together

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Solution

Given, 5 boys and 3 girls 5 boys

(i) All the boys are together

3 girls

As in the first part, we have to keep all the boys together. Consider all boys as a single unit.
Therefore, we have total units = 1 + 3 = 4
And arrangement of 4 units = 4!
∴ Total number of arrangements = 5! × 4! (5 boys can be arranged in 5! ways).
= 120 × 24 = 2880

(ii) All the girls are not together

Given, 5 boys and 3 girls
 Total number of 
   Number of ways of 
 arangements in which  =  Number of ways of arranging  -  arranging in which 
 all the girls are not     
 5 boys and 3 girls   all the girls are toget 
   her 
 together 

Here, number of ways of arranging 5 boys and 3 girls = (5 + 3)!

A
 nd for the number of ways of arranging in which all the girls are together, consider all girls as
a single unit.
S
 o, now by string method, the number of ways of arranging in which all the girls are together
= (5 + 1)! × 3!
∴ Total number of arrangements in which all the girls are not together = (5 + 3)! - 6! × 3!
= (8)! - 6! × 3!
= 6! (56 - 6)
= 720 × 50 = 36000

Note

Complementary principle
Removing unwanted / undesired cases from the total number of cases is given by the
complementary principle.
In the previous case, we used complementary principle which is as follows:
 Number of favorable   Total number   Number of unfavorable 
  =   -  
 ways   of ways   ways 

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Gap method

We use this method “when we want particular objects to not be together”.

The number of ways in which 4 boys and 4 girls can be arranged in a row such that
(i) No two girls are together
(ii) Boys and girls sit alternatively

Solution

(i) No two girls are together.

Given, 4 boys and 4 girls
_ B1_B2_B3_B4_
So, 4 boys can be arranged in 4! ways.
And 4 girls can be arranged in five places by 5C4 × 4! ways.
∴ Total number of ways = 4! × 5C4 × 4!
= 24 × 24 × 5 = 576 × 5 = 2880

(ii) Boys and girls sit alternatively. Case 2:

Case 1: G1_G2_G3_G4_
B1_B2_B3_B4_ 4 girls can be arranged in 4! ways.
4 boys can be arranged in 4! ways. 4 boys can also be arranged in 4! ways.
4 girls can also be arranged by 4! ways. ∴
 Total number of ways
∴ Total number of ways = 4! × 4! = 24 × 24 = 576 = 4! × 4! = 24 × 24 = 576

Therefore,
Case 1: B1_B2_B3_B4_ = 576
Case 2: G1_G2_G3_G4_ = 576
So, total = 576 + 576 = 1152

Concept Check 1

The number of ways in which 5 boys and 3 girls can be arranged in a row out of 6 boys and 4
girls such that:
(i) all the boys are together
(ii) all the girls are not together

Solve

Find the number of arrangements of the letters of the word ‘PERMUTATIONS’ such that
(i) All the vowels are as one unit and all the consonants are as one unit.
(ii) There are always 4 letters between P and S.

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Solution

(i) All the vowels are as one unit and all the consonants are as one unit.
Given word, PERMUTATIONS
Here, vowels = E, U, A, I, O
And consonants = P, R, M, T, T, N, S
So, consider all the vowels as a single unit and all the consonants as another single unit.
⇒ There are two units that can be arranged in 2! ways.
In each arrangement, vowels can be arranged in 5! ways and consonants can be arranged in
7! . [∵ T is repeating twice. So, it is divided by 2!.]
2!
∴ Total number of required arrangements = 2! × 5! × 7! = 604800
2!

(ii) There are always 4 letters between P and S.

Given word, PERMUTATIONS, has 12 letters. When P comes in first place, then S will be in the
sixth place. When P is in the second place, then S will be in the seventh place and so on, till
the seventh place of P and 12th place of S.
Therefore, we have a total of 7 cases.
And
P _ _ _ _ S or S _ _ _ _ P are also 2 cases.
10!
Remaining 10 places can be filled with the letters =
2!
[ ∵ T is repeating twice. So, it is divided by 2!.]
10!
∴ Total number of ways = 7 × 2 × = 25401600
2!

Solve

The number of permutations of the letters of the word ‘HEXAGON’ such that
(i) Relative positions of the vowels and consonants are not changed.
(ii) Order of the vowels is not changed.

Solution

Given word, HEXAGON

Vowels: E, A, O
And consonants: H, X, G, N

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(i) Relative positions of the vowels and consonants are not changed.
_______
Given that
2nd, 4th, and 6th places will be filled by vowels.
So, 3 vowels can be arranged in 3! ways
And 4 consonants can be arranged in 4! ways
∴ Total number of ways = 3! × 4! = 6 × 24 = 144

(ii) Order of the vowels is not changed.

_______
Let us arrange the consonants in 7 places and this can be done in 7C4 × 4!.
Now, the remaining three places can be filled with vowels in only one way. (∵ Order of the
vowels not to be changed)
∴ Total number of ways = 7C4 × 4! × 1
= 35 × 24 × 1 = 840

Note

The number of permutations of n distinct things, in which the order of r things is not to be
n! n
considered is = Pn - r
r!
As in the second part of the previous illustration, we observe that the primary focus is on the
arrangement of 4 consonants out of 7 total letters. Later the 3 vowels can be arranged.
Therefore, n = 7 and r = 3 (We are focussing on arranging the 4 consonants, not the 3 vowels)
n! n 7!
So, = Pn - r ⇒ 7P7 - 3 = 7P4 =
r! 3!
7 × 6 × 5!
= = 7 × 120 = 840
6

Solve

Number of ways in which the indian team (11 players) can bat, if Yuvraj wants to bat before Dhoni
and Pathan wants to bat after Dhoni is _____.

Solution

Given, Yuvraj will come for batting before Dhoni and Pathan will come after Dhoni.
Here, n = 11 and r = 3
n! n
Therefore, using the given concept = Pn - r
r!
n! n 11! 11
We get, = Pn - r ⇒ = P11 - 3 = 11P8
r! 3!

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Solve

The total number of ways in which six ‘+’ and four ‘-’ signs can be arranged in a line such that no
two ‘-’ signs occur together is _____.

Solution

Step 1 Step 2
Given, six ‘+’ and four ‘-’ signs + + + + + +
Condition: No two ‘-’ signs occur together There are 7 blank places in which four ‘-’
+ + + + + + signs are to be arranged.
Number of ways of arranging six ‘+’ signs 4!
6! This can be done in 7C4 ×
= =1 4!
6! ∴ Total number of required arrangements
= 7C4 × 1 × 1 = 35

Including/excluding specific objects

The number of combinations of n distinct things taken r at a time, such that

(i) p particular things are always included is = (n - p)C(r - p)

(ii) p particular things are always excluded is = (n - p)Cr
(iii) p particular things are included and q particular things are excluded is = (n - p - q)C(r - p)

Solve

The number of ways in which a team of 11 players can be selected from 22 players such that:
(i) 2 particular players are always included is ____.
(ii) 4 particular players are always excluded is ____.
(iii) 2 particular players are included and 4 particular players are excluded is ____.

Solution

Given, we have to select a team of 11 players from 22 players such that:

(i) 2 particular players are always included.
Here, n = 22 and r = 11

Using
The number of combinations of n distinct things taken r at a time such that
p particular things are always included is = (n - p)C(r - p)

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We get,
(n - p)
C(r - p) ⇒ (22 - 2)C(11 - 2) = 20C9

(ii) 4 particular players are always excluded.

Here, n = 22 and r = 11
Using
The number of combinations of n distinct things taken r at a time such that
p particular things are always excluded is = (n - p)Cr

We get,
(n - p)
Cr ⇒ (22 - 4)C11 = C11
18

(iii) 2 particular players are included and 4 particular players are excluded.
Here, n = 22 and r = 11
Using
The number of combinations of n distinct things taken r at a time such that
p particular things are included and q particular things are excluded is = (n - p - q)C(r - p)

We get,
(n - p - q)
C(r - p) ⇒ (22 - 2 - 4)C(11 - 2) = 16C9

Concept Check 2

If set A = {E, Q, U, A, T, I, O, N}, then the number of 5 element subsets of A that always include A,
T is ___.

Summary Sheet

Key Takeaways

String method
The number of permutations of n distinct things taken all at a time when m specified things
always come together is given by = (n - m + 1)! × m!
Complementary principle
 Number of favorable   Total number   Number of unfavorable 
  =   -  
 ways   of ways   ways 

Gap method
We use this method “when we want particular objects to not be together”.

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Mind map

Permutation and
combination

Permutation under
String method Gap method
restriction

Including/Excluding
specific objects

Self-Assessment

1. Find the number of seven letter words that can be formed by using the letters of the word
‘SUCCESS’ so that the two C are together but no two S are together.
2. Find the number of arrangements of the letters of the word ‘SALOON’, if the two O’s do not
come together.

Answers

Concept Check 1

(i) all the boys are together
Given 6 boys and 4 girls
Here, we have to arrange 5
boys and 3 girls
So, consider 5 boys as a single
unit
Now, arrangements of 5 boys
out of 6 = 6C5 × 5!
Selecting 3 girls out of 4 = 4C3
Now, total ways = 4C3 × 6C5 × 5!
× 4!
[we have total 4 units, one unit
of 5 boys and other three units
are three girls]
(ii) all the girls are not together
Here,
 Total number of 
 
 arangements in which  =
 all the girls are not 
 
 together 
 Number of ways of 
 Number of ways of arranging   
  -  arranging in which 
 5 boys and 3 girls   all the girls are together 
 
= 4C3 × 6C5 × 8! - 4C3 × 3! × 6C5 × 6!

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Concept Check 2

Step 1
Given, A = {E, Q, U, A, T, I, O, N}
∴ n = 8, r = 5, and p = 2 (A, T)
Condition: A, T are always included

The number of 5 element subsets containing A, T is same as the number of combinations of 8

distinct things taken 5 at a time such that 2 particular things are always included.

Now using the formula for n distinct things taken r at a time such that p particular things are
always included, we get,
(n - p)
C(r - p) ⇒ (8 - 2)C(5 - 2) = 6C3 = 20

Self-Assessment 1

Step 1
Given word, SUCCESS, in which S is repeating thrice, C is repeating twice, and the rest of the
letters are occuring only once.
Considering two C’s as a single unit, U, CC, and E can be arranged in 3! ways.
_ U _ CC _ E _
Now, the three S are to be placed in the four available places.
Hence, required number of ways = 3! × 4C3 = 6 × 4 = 24

Self-Assessment 2

Step 1
Given word, SALOON, in which O is repeating twice and the rest of the letters are occurring
only once.
Now,
6!
The total number of arrangements is = 360
2!
The number of ways in which O’s come together is 5! = 120
Hence, the required number of ways in which two O’s do not come together = 360 - 120
= 240

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