Combinations

1 Combination: The combination is defined as “An arrangement of objects where the order
in which the objects are selected does not matter.” The combination means “Selection of
things”, where the order of things has no importance.

If the set has n elements, the number of r-combinations is equal to the binomial coefficient.

Cr = n! / r!(n-r)!, when n>r

n

Cr = 0 , when n<r
n

Where n = distinct object to choose from

C = Combination

r = spaces to fill

Example: In a cricket tournament there are 21 matches, if each team plays one match with
every other team then what are the number of teams?

Solution : Since from n teams each team play with every other team means we have to take

n choose 2

Given 21 matches are there in the tournment

i.e nC2 =21

n! / 2!(n-2)!=21

n(n-1)*(n-2)! / 2!(n-2)!=21

n(n-1) / 2 = 21

n(n-1) = 42

n(n-1) = 7*6

thus n=7

Example : Find the formula for counting the diagonals in n-gon.

Answer: nC2 – n ={n*(n-3)}/2

Relation between Permutation and Combination: The combination is a type of
permutation where the order of the selection is not considered. Hence, the count of
permutation is always more than the number of the combination. This is the basic difference
between permutation and combination.

Here nPr = nCr.r!

Theorem: Show that nCr + nCr-1 = n+1Cr

Example 1: A group of 3 lawn tennis players S, T, U. A team consisting of 2 players is to

be formed. In how many ways can we do so?

Solution- In a combination problem, we know that the order of arrangement or selection does
not matter.

Thus ST= TS, TU = UT, and SU=US.

Thus we have 3 ways of team selection.

By combination formula we have-

C2 = 3!/2! (3-2)!
3

= (3.2.1)/(2.1.1) =3

Example 2: Find the number of subsets of the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} having 3
elements.

Solution: The set given here have 10 elements. We need to form subsets of 3 elements in any
order. If we select {1,2,3} as first subset then it is same as {3,2,1}. Hence, we will use the
formula of combination here.

Therefore, the number of subsets having 3 elements = 10C3

= 10!/(10-3)!3!

= 10.9.87!/7!.3!

= 10.9.8/3.2

= 120 ways.

2 Restricted Combinations Combination deals with ways of selection. nCr means total ways
of selection of r things out of n things. Let us discuss an example of a restricted combination.
Consider that we need to select r players out of n players to form a team. There are 2
excellent players who are always particularly selected. So, we need to select only (r-2)
players from (n-2) players.

Various formulas for Restricted Combination:

1) Number of ways of selecting r things out of n things = nCr

2) Number of ways of selection from n different things, taken r at a time, when p particular
things are always selected = n-pCr-p.

3) Number of ways of selection from n different things, taken r at a time, when p particular
things are always to be rejected = n-pCr

4) Number of ways of selection of r different things from n things, where k things are always
selected, and p things are always rejected = n-k-pCr-k

Example1:

Out of 16 players, 11 are to be selected for a cricket team. If the wicketkeeper and captain are
to be always included in each selection, in how many ways can this be done?

1) C
14
9

2) C
16
11

3) C
14
11

4) none of these

Solution:

Given n = 16

r = 11

No. of players always included, p = 2

So, the number of ways = C n-p

r-p

= C
14
9

hence, option 1 is the answer.

Example 2:
A group of students consists of 5 boys and n girls. If the number of ways in which a team of 3
students can randomly be selected from this group such that there is at least one boy and at
least one girl in each team, is 1750, then n is equal to:

1) 24

2) 25

3) 26

4) 28

Solution:

Given the number of boys = 5

Number of girls = n

We can select 1 boy and 2 girls or 2 boys and 1 girl.

Number of ways of selecting 3 students under the given criteria => C . C + C . C = 1750
5
1
n
2
5
2
n
1

=> 5×n(n-1)/2 + (5×4/1×2)n = 1750

=> 5×n(n-1)/2 + 10n = 1750

=> 5n + 15n – 350 = 0

2

=> n + 3n – 700 = 0
2

=> (n + 28)(n – 25) = 0

=> n = -28, n = 25

So, n = 25 (n cannot be negative)

Hence, option 2 is the answer.

Example 3:

Find the number of ways of selecting of 11 players out of 16, if the wicketkeeper and captain
are always included in each selection, and 1 player is injured.

1) C
14
9
2) C 13
9

3) C 13
11

4) none of these

Solution:

Total number of players, n = 16

Number of players to be selected, r = 11

Number of players who are always included, k = 2

Number of players rejected, p = 1 (injured player)

Number of ways of selection = n-k-p

C r-k

= 16-2-1
C 11-2

= C 13
9

Hence, option 2 is the answer.

Binomial An algebraic expression containing two dissimilar terms is called a Binomial.

3 Binomial Coefficients In mathematics, the binomial coefficients are the positive integers that occur
as coefficients in the binomial theorem. Commonly, a binomial coefficient is indexed by a pair of
integers n ≥ r ≥ 0 and is written nCr.

Binomial Expression: A binomial expression is an algebraic expression that contains two

dissimilar terms. Eg.., (a + b)2= 2C0 a2 +2C1 ab +2C2b2.

4. Binomial Theorem :Let n∈ N,x,y,∈ R then

(x + y)n = xn – r · yr

Example: What is the coefficient of x101y99 in the expansion of (2x-3y) 200?

Solution: the coefficient of x101y99 in the expansion of (2x-3y) 200is = (2x)101 · (-3y)99

= (-3)99(x)101 · y99

The coefficient of x101y99 in the expansion of (2x-3y) 200is= 2101(-3)99

Important points to remember

  The total number of terms in the expansion of (x+y)n is (n+1)
 The sum of exponents of x and y is always n.
 nC0, nC1, nC2, … .., nCn are called binomial coefficients and also represented by C0,
C1, C2, ….., Cn
 The binomial coefficients, which are equidistant from the beginning and from the
ending, are equal, i.e., nC0 = nCn, nC1 = nCn-1 , nC2 = nCn-2 ,….. etc. i.e nCr = nCn-r
Example: Explain binomial theorem with example

5 Multinomial Coefficients

Multinomial coefficients are generalizations of binomial coefficients, with a similar

combinatorial interpretation. They are the coefficients of terms in the expansion of a power of
a multinomial, in the multinomial theorem. That is the coefficient of is

6. Multinomial Theorem

The multinomial theorem is used to expand the sum of two or more terms raised to an integer
power.

The multinomial theorem provides a formula for expanding an expression such as

, for an integer value of n. In particular, the expansion is given by .

Example: Find the coefficient of u2w3x4y2 in the expansion of (u+v+2w+x+3y+z)11

Solution the coefficient ofu2w3x4y2 in the expansion of (u+v+2w+x+3y+z)11

is = u2(2w)3x4(3y)2

= 8.9 u2w3x4y2

= 8.9 u2w3x4y2

=11.10.9.4.7.5.8.9 u2w3x4y2

The co efficient of u2w3x4y2 is = 11.10.9.4.7.5.8.9 = 9979200