People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria

Ministry of Higher Education and Scienti…c Research

Kasdi Merbah University of Ouargla

Department of Sciences and Technologies

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULIC

Courses of Probability and Statistics

Presented by :

Teacher : Saidane Hadda

University year : 2023/2024

Table des matières

Table of contents i

1 Combinatorial analysis 1
1.1 Types of combinatorial analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.1 Arrangement (Apn ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.2 Permutation (Pn ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.3 Combination (Cnp ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

i
Chapitre 1

Combinatorial analysis

Combinatorial analysis (CA) is a branch of mathematics that studies how to count (ar-
range) objects. It provides methods for counting the arrangements that can be formed using
the elements of a …nite set.

1.1 Types of combinatorial analysis

We distinguish 3 types :

1.1.1 Arrangement (Apn )

Dé…nition 1.1.1 Let E be a …nite set of cardinal n (the number of elements that E contains)
and p a natural number. An arrangement of p elements is the possibility of arranging these
p elements chosen among the n elements of E, where we take the order into account.

Arrangement without repetition

We say an arrangement without repetition of p elements chosen from n elements of E,

when each element of p can be observed only once in an arrangement.

Proposition 1.1.1 The number of arrangements without repetition of p elements among n

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Combinatorial analysis Teacher : Saidane Hadda

of E is
n!
Apn = = n (n 1) ::: (n p + 1) :
(n p)!
Where n! = n (n 1) (n 2) ::: 1:

Remark 1.1.1 We can use n! = n (n 1)! and we have by convention 0! = 1

Example 1.1.1
1/ Number of words (with meaning or not) of 5 letters di¤erent from our alphabet is :

26!
A526 =
(26 5)!
26!
=
21!
= 26 25 24 23 22

= 7893600 words

2/ The numbers with 2 di¤erent digits that can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 3 are :

3!
A23 =
(3 2)!
3!
= = 3!
1!
=3 2 1 = 6 numbers

Arrangement with repetition

We say arrangement with repetition of p elements chosen among n elements of E, when

an element of p can be observed several times in an arrangement.

Proposition 1.1.2 The number of arrangements with repetition of p elements chosen from
n of E is :
Apn = np

Example 1.1.2

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Combinatorial analysis Teacher : Saidane Hadda

The numbers with (2 digits) which can be formed from the digits 1,2,3 are :

A23 = 32

= 9 numbers

1.1.2 Permutation (Pn )

Permutation without repetition

Dé…nition 1.1.2 Let E be a …nite set of cardinal n. We call permutation of n di¤erent

elements of E any arrangement (sequence) of these n elements where the order is taken into
account.

Proposition 1.1.3 The number of permutations of n di¤erent elements is :

Pn = n! = n (n 1) ::: 1:

Remark 1.1.2 A permutation is a particular arrangement where all the elements of E (n

elements) are chosen, we write :

Pn = Ann
n!
= = n!
(n n)!

Example 1.1.3 How many ways can you place 5 people on a bench ?

P5 = 5! = 120 ways.

Permutation with repetition

Dé…nition 1.1.3 Let E be a …nite set of cardinal n. We assume that the n elements are
distributed into k categories where there are n1 elements of type 1, n2 elements of type 2; :::; nk
elements of type k. A permutation with repetition of these n elements is an ordered sequence
of these elements.

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Combinatorial analysis Teacher : Saidane Hadda

Proposition 1.1.4 The number of permutations with repetition of these n elements is :

n!
Pn(n1 ;n2 ;:::;nk ) = :
n1 ! n2 ! ::: nk !

Example 1.1.4 How many words can be formed from the letters of the word "STATISTICS"

(3;3;2) 10!
P10 =
3! 3! 2!
3628800
=
6 6 2
= 50400 words

1.1.3 Combination (Cnp )

Combination without repetition

Dé…nition 1.1.4 Let E be a set of cardinal n. We call combination without repetition of p

chosen from n elements of E (1 p n), any part of E of p di¤erent elements where we do
not take into account the order.

Proposition 1.1.5 The number of combinations without repetition of p elements among n

of E is
n!
Cnp = :
p! (n p)!

Example 1.1.5 How many ways can you choose 2 people from 4 people ?

4!
C42 =
2! (4 2)!
4! 24
= =
2!2! 4
= 6 ways

Combination with repetition

Dé…nition 1.1.5 Let E be a set of cardinal n. We call combination with repetition of p

chosen from n elements of E, any part of E of p elements where an element can be observed
several times in a part and the order does not take into account

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Combinatorial analysis Teacher : Saidane Hadda

Proposition 1.1.6 The number of combinations with repetition of p elements among n of

E is :
p (n + p 1)!
Cn+p 1 = :
p! (n 1)!

Properties of Combinations
n!
1/ if 0 p n; Cnn p
= , C p = Cnn p .
p!(n p)! n
n!
In particular Cn0 = Cnn = 1 (where Cn0 = Cnn = = 1) and Cn1 = Cnn 1
= n.
n!
2/ For 1 p n 1; Cnp = Cnp 11 + Cnp 1 :
3/ For 1 p n 1; pCnp = nCnp 11 :
n(n 1)
4/ If n 2; Cn2 = Cnn 2 = .
2
Newton’s binomial formula
We have

X
n
(x + y)n = Cnk xk y n k

k=0