Counting

Principles
(Permutation &
Combination)
Lesson 2
 COUNTING PRINCIPLES
• What You Should Learn:
1. Solve simple counting
problems
• 2. Use Fundamental Counting
Principle to solve more
complicated counting problems
• 3. Use permutations to solve
counting problems
• 4. Use combinations to solve
counting problems.
Introduction

In some experiments, we
The fundamental principle of
cannot use tree diagram to list
counting, also known as the
all possible outcomes. We
multiplication rule, provides
need a more efficient way of
a more simple and easy way
determining the possible
of counting the number of
outcomes in a given
possible outcomes.
experiment.
•The multiplication rule states that if an
operation can be performed in n ways
and the second operation can be
performed in m ways, then the two
operations can be performed in n . m
ways.
Permutations

Example: You want to know how many

arrangements are possible for a six people to
be seated around a table or how many
different orders are possible to draw two
tickets from a total of 20 different tickets.
These arrangements are called permutations.
 Permutations
A permutations is an arrangement of all sets or part of a set of distinct objects,
or an arrangement of objects where the order matters
Example: -the letters of the word dog can be arranged in six different ways,
namely, dog, dgo,ogd,odg,god, and gdo. Using the fundamental principle of
counting, you can compute for the number of ways the letters of the word dog
can be arranged without listing the possible outcomes.
Since dog can be can arrange is a three-letter word, there are three positions to
be filled in.-
3.2.1= 6 ways of arranging the letters of the word dog.
 The number of permutations of n
distinct objects is n!.

• Bolt= [Link].= 24 ways.

• In general, we have to arrange n distinct letters or objects, we can arrange
those letters or objects in n. (n-1).(n-2).(n-3)… [Link] or simply n factorial
(n!).
If we have four different objects, we say, A, B, C, and D, we want to arrange two objects at a time,
then we have the following outcomes: AB, AC, AD, BA,BC,BD,CA,CB,CD,DA,DB, and DC.
Therefore, we have 12 ways of arranging two objects out of four objects at a time. –
4.3 = 12 ways
In general, we can arrange n distinct objects taken r at a time n.(n-1).(n-2)…(n-r + 1) ways. In
symbols, we have
𝑛! 4! 4! [Link]
Formula: nPr = = = = 4.3 = 12 ways
𝑛−𝑟 ! 4−2 ! 2! 2.1

n = the total number of items (or people, objects, letters, etc.)

available.
Think of it as your big set.
r = the number of items you are choosing or arranging from the total.
Think of it as your selection size.
Factorials

The factorial function for a number is written as a natural number n,

followed by a ! symbol.(n!). The factorial of n can be taken as the
product of consecutive numbers 1, 2, 3, ... up to n. The concept of
factorial is very useful to work across the formulas of permutation and
combination.
n! = n × (n - 1) × ......3 × 2 × 1
More Examples:

1. Word: MATHEMATICS
𝑛! 11!
Formula: nPr = =P= =
𝑛−𝑟 ! 2!.2!.2!

2. Word: ALGEBRA
Total letters = 7
Repeated letters: A(2)
3. Choosing a President, Vice President, and Secretary
A Math Club has 10 members. In how many ways can they choose a
President, Vice President, and Secretary, if no one can hold more than
one position?

4. Arranging Players in a Basketball Game

A coach has 12 players but needs to select 5 players to arrange in a starting
lineup (point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center).
How many possible starting lineups are there?

5. Arranging Students in Seats

In a spelling contest, 6 contestants are to sit in a row of chairs. In how many
ways can they be seated?
6. Suppose we have three different math books. In
how many ways can these books be arranged in a
bookshelf that has a slot for three more books?
Solution:
𝑛!
nPr =
𝑛−𝑟 !
3P3 = 3! = 3.2.1 = 6 ways
Circular Permutations
What if we want to arrange objects around a circle? Can we still use the previous
method?
Let us consider arranging three distinct objects around a circle.
One way of doing this is to arrange one object at a certain position., then arrange the
other objects. Look at Figure below:

Note that the following arrangements are equivalent or the same.

There are only two ways of arranging the three objects around the
circle.
If you try to arrange four distinct objects around a circle, you will
have:
3.2.1 = 6 ways

In general, the number of permutations of n

distinct objects in a circle is (n- 1)!.
 Example:
1. If you will arrange seven people around a table, in how many ways can you
arrange them?
Solution:
(n-1)! = (7 – 1 )! = 6!
[Link].2.1= 720 ways
2. Seating Around a Round Table
Eight friends are going to sit around a round table. In how many distinct ways can
they be seated?
3. Necklace with Beads
A jeweler is arranging 6 different beads to form a circular necklace. In how many
distinct arrangements can the beads be strung, if rotations and reflections are
considered the same?
Solution:
For necklaces, the formula is:
𝑛−1! 6−1! 120
= = = 60
2 2 2
 Combinations
A combination is a selection of items or ideas
where the order of selection does not matter.
Combinations are also called selections. Combinations correspond
to the selection of things from a given set of things. Here we do
not intend to arrange things. We intend to select them. We
denote the number of unique r-selections or combinations out of
a group of n objects by nCr.
𝑛!
Combinations Formula: nCr=
𝑟!. 𝑛−𝑟 !
Culinary Example:
A fruit salad made of apples, bananas, and grapes is
a combination; the order of the fruits doesn't
change the final salad.
Mathematical Example:
If you have three friends, Alex, Ben, and Chris, and
you want to form groups of two, the combinations
are: AB, AC, and BC. (ABC is the combination of all
three, and there is only one way to form this group).
 Examples:
1. Suppose we have a set of 6 letters { A,B,C,D,E,F}. In
how many ways can we select a group of 3 letters from
this set? Suppose we find the number of arrangements
of 3 letters possible from those 6 letters.
That number would be 6P3. Consider
the permutations that contain the letters A, B, and C.
These are 3! = 6 ways, namely ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA,
CAB, and CBA.
 2. A teacher has 5 books on her desk. In how many ways can she
choose all 5 books?
𝑛!
Solution: nCr=
𝑟!. 𝑛−𝑟 !
5! 5!
5C5= = = 0!=1
5!. 5−5 ! 5!. 0 !

There is only 1 way to choose all 5 books — by taking them all.

Take Note!
1. The symbol 0!0!0! is defined as 1 (not zero!).
2. This makes sense in combinations:
• If you have 5 books and you must take all 5, there is only one possible group (all
of them).
• If you have 5 books and you take none, there is also only one possible group (the
empty set).
That’s why C(n,n)=1C(n, n) = 1C(n,n)=1 and C(n,0)=1C(n, 0) = 1C(n,0)=1.
3. If there are, three colored poker chips, namely, red (R),
yellow(Y), and black(B) chips, in how many ways can you
select one chip?
Solution:
We only have three choices in picking one chip at a time.
R B Hence, we have only three different ways to select from R, B,
and Y.

Questions:
A. In how many possible combinations of selecting one chip?
B. In how many ways can you select two chips at a time?
C. What if you select three chips at a time?
4. In a committee of four members, in how many ways can
you select three members to form a subcommittee?
Solution:
Selection 1 Selection 2 Selection 3 Selection 4
A, B, C A,B,D A,D,C B,C,D

𝑛!
Using the formula: nCr= , we have
𝑟!. 𝑛−𝑟 !

4! [Link]
4C3= = =4
3!. 4−3 ! [Link]
 Important Points
The following points help summarize the important learnings of the difference
between permutation and combination.

• Permutations are applicable to find the count of the different number of

arrangements that can be formed with the given things.
• The combination is useful to find the count of the number of different subgroups
which can be formed from the given larger set.
For the same values of n and r, the number of permutations(arrangements) is always
larger than the number of combinations(groups).
Analogy:
• Permutation = who is sitting where (arranging chairs in order).
• Combination = who is sitting together (forming a group, order doesn’t matter).
 1. In how many three- digit even number
can be formed from the digits 1,2,3,4,and 5
if each digit can be used only once?
2. How many two-digit odd numbers can be
formed from the numbers 2,4,6,8,and 9 if
repetition of digits allowed?
Exercise 4.1 3. A college freshman must take a Math
course, a Science course, and an English
course. If he or she may select any six Math
courses , any five Science courses, and any
of four English courses, in how many ways
can he or she arrange his or her program?
4. How many different license plates which
consist of three letters and three numbers
are there altogether if:
a. there are no restrictions?
b. the letters must be different?
c. the letters must be different and the first
digit cannot be 0?
d. The letters and numbers must be
different?
5. In how many ways can a
female model dress up at a
fashion show if she has five
different pairs of shoes, four
different pants, five different
shirts, and four different hats?
6-10. Evaluate the following:

6. 3P3=
7. 6P10=
8. 10C9=
9. 20C1=
10. 20C0 =