OBJECTIVE

Tofindthe number of ways in which three balls can be selected from give ive balls.

Pre-Requisite Knowledge
Number of combination = "C.
n!
The number of combinations of nditterent things taken rat a time is given by *C,
0<r S n.

Material Required
Five identical balls Marker
Paper Sheet

Method of Construction
1. Take one ball and mark it as B,.
2. Similarly, mark remaining balls as B,, B,, B,, B, and B:
Procedure
1. Select one ballfrom the given fiveballs.
2. Let the first selected ball be B,. Then other two balls from the remaining four balls can be: B,B,
B,B, B,B, B,B,, B,B, and B,B, Thus, the possible selections are : B,B,B,, B,B,B,, B, B,B,B, B,B,
B,BB, B,B,B,. Record these in your activity record book.
3.
Let the first selected ball be B, Then the other two balls from the remaining 4 balls can be:B, B,.
B,B B,Bs B,B B,B,, B,B.s.Thus, the possible selections are: B,B,B, , B,B, B,, B,B,B,.B,B,B,
B,B,B,, B,B,B,. Record these in your activity record book.
4. Let the first selected ball be B,. Then the other two balls can be :B, B,, B, B,, B,B,, B,B,
Thus,the possible selections are :B,B, B,, B,B,B, B,B,B,B,B,B, B,B,B,, B,B,B,. RecordB,B, B,B,.
them in
your activity recordbook.
5. Let the first selected ball be B,. Then the other two balls can be : BB,, B,
Thus, the possible selections are: B,B, B, BB B,B,B,B,, BB, Bs, BB,B B,,B,B,B, B,B,, B,B, B,B,, B,B,
your activity record book. Record these in
6. Let the first selected ball be B, Then the other two
balls can be: B,B, B,B,, B, B,, B,B, B,B, B,B,
Thus, the possible selections are: B,B, B,B,B, B, BB, B, BB,B,, B,B,B, B,BB
your activity record book. Record these in
7.
Now look at the paper sheet on which the
possible selections and each of the selectionpossible
is
selections are listed. Here, there are in all 30
selection = 30 + 3=10 which is same as 5B,. repeated thrice. Therefore, the number of distinct
 i.e.
5! 5!
°B335-3)!3x2x2= 5x4 X3X210
3× =
3×2×2

Observations
selection.
1. B,B,B,,B,B, B, and B,B, B, represent the
2.
B,B,B represent the same selection.
and represent the same selection.
3. Among B,B, B, , B,B,B, B, B,B,
4. B,B, B; , B B,B, represent selections.
represent the same
5. Among B,B, B, B, B,B,,B,B,B,, B,B,B, B,B,B, B,B,B, B,B,Bs
represent diferent selections.
selections. B,B,B,, B,B,B ,

Conclusion
This activity explained the general formula for finding the number of possible selections when
!
objects are selected from given n distinct objects, i.e., "C, = r!(n-r)!