NUMBER THEORY

Topic 1: Digits, Place Value & Number Formation

Basics

1. The Algebraic Skeleton (The Foundation)

Never treat numbers as symbols. Always expand them using place value.

• 2-digit number: 10a + b

• 3-digit number: 100a + 10b + c

• 4-digit number: 1000a + 100b + 10c + d

• Tip:
Writing numbers in algebraic form allows direct addition, subtraction, and comparison.

• If a number is of the form aabb, it is always a multiple of 11.

2. The Difference Shortcut (Reversing Digits)

Digit reversal follows fixed mathematical patterns.

• 2-digit numbers:
Difference = 9(a − b)

• 3-digit numbers:
Difference = 99(a − c)

• Tip:
The middle digit does not affect the difference in 3-digit reversals.

3. Product of Digits Logic

When the product of digits is given:

• Always start with prime factorization

• Digits range only from 0 to 9

• Possible digit combinations must come from small prime factors

• Tip:
List combinations systematically to avoid missing cases.

4. Boundary Analysis (Highest / Smallest)

Used when questions ask for extremes.

• Highest number:
Maximize the left-most digit first

• Smallest number:
Minimize the left-most digit (cannot be zero)

• Constraint logic:
Digits must lie within the allowed pool

5. Systematic Counting (Slot Method)

Used for “How many numbers are possible” questions.

• Draw slots for each digit

• Apply digit constraints to each slot

• Check if digits must be distinct

• First digit can never be zero

6. Parity and End-Digit Rules

• Perfect squares can end only in 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, 9

• Perfect squares never end in 2, 3, 7, 8

• If digit sum is even, number of odd digits is even

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

Q1. A two-digit number is such that the tens digit is 3 more than the units digit. If the sum of the
digits is 9, what is the number?

Q2. Find the sum of all two-digit numbers where the tens digit and units digit are the same.

Q3. How many 3-digit numbers can be formed using only the digits 4 and 5?

Level of Difficulty 1 (2 Questions)

Q4. A 3-digit number has a 7 in the hundreds place. If the digits are reversed, the new number is 198
less than the original. What is the units digit of the original number?

Q5. How many numbers with distinct digits are possible such that the product of their digits is 15?

Level of Difficulty 2 (3 Questions)

Q6. A 4-digit number of the form aabb is a perfect square. Find the value of a + b.
Q7. How many 4-digit numbers are there such that the sum of the thousands, hundreds, and tens
digits is 14, and the sum of the hundreds, tens, and units digits is 15?

Q8. Find the highest possible 4-digit number where the tens place digit is 4 more than the units place
digit and the sum of the first three digits is 14.

Level of Difficulty 3 (2 Questions)

Q9. How many two-digit numbers, with a non-zero units digit, are more than three times the number
formed by interchanging their digits?

Q10. Find the number of 4-digit numbers where the minimum digit used is 2 and the maximum digit
used is 5.

Topic 2: Divisibility Rules & Remainder Theorem

Basics

1. Divisibility as Building Blocks

Large divisors should be broken into smaller co-prime factors.

• 12 → 3 and 4

• 15 → 3 and 5

• 72 → 8 and 9

• Logic:
A number divisible by both factors is divisible by their product.

2. Negative Remainder Technique

Remainders can be positive or negative.

• If N mod 13 = 12, it is also −1

• Using −1 simplifies power calculations

• Strategy:
Replace the base with the closest value to the divisor.

3. Cyclicity of Powers (Last Digit Logic)

Used for unit digit questions.

• Last digits repeat in cycles of 4 or less

• Divide exponent by 4

• Use remainder to find final digit

4. Remainder Distribution Rules

• Remainder of (a + b) = sum of remainders

• Remainder of (a × b) = product of remainders

• Tip:
Break large expressions into smaller components.

5. Smallest Number Logic (LCM Method)

Used in “farmer” or “security code” problems.

• Write number in form: LCM × k + remainder

• Test smallest values of k

• If divisor − remainder is same for all cases:

Answer = LCM − difference

Questions

Q11. What is the smallest 3-digit number divisible by 9?

Q12. Find the remainder when 1234567 is divided by 8.

Q13. If the number 456x is divisible by 3, what is the smallest integer value for x?

Level of Difficulty 1 (2 Questions)

Q14. Find the smallest positive integer n such that n is divisible by 7 but leaves a remainder of 3
when divided by 23.

Q15. A number N leaves a remainder of 1 when divided by 2, 2 when divided by 3, and 3 when
divided by 4. What is the smallest such N?

Level of Difficulty 2 (3 Questions)

Q16. Find the remainder when 3^300 is divided by 13.

Q17. Determine the remainder when 6^83 + 8^83 is divided by 49.

Q18. Find the remainder when

1^2 + 2^3 + 3^4 + … + 1001^1002
is divided by 2.

Level of Difficulty 3 (2 Questions)

Q19. A farmer has fewer than 200 apples. Grouping them by 5 leaves 2, by 7 leaves 3, and by 9 leaves
4. How many apples are there?

Q20. Find the largest three-digit number that leaves remainders of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 when divided by
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively.
Topic 3: Factors, Multiples & Perfect Squares

Basics

1. Prime Factorization (Starting Point)

Always decompose numbers into primes.

• n = p^a × q^b × r^c

• Total factors:
(a + 1)(b + 1)(c + 1)

2. Perfect Square Properties

• A number is a perfect square if all prime exponents are even

• Numbers with an odd number of factors are perfect squares

• Numbers with exactly 3 factors are squares of primes

3. Perfect Square Factors

A factor is a perfect square only if:

• All prime exponents are even

• Count only even exponent choices per prime

4. Completing the Square

Used when expressions must be perfect squares.

• Convert expressions into (x ± y)^2 form

• Apply difference of squares

5. Inclusion–Exclusion Principle

Used for “divisible by A or B” problems.

• A + B − LCM(A, B)

• For “but not both”, subtract LCM twice

6. Square-Free Numbers
 • No prime exponent greater than 1

• Exclude multiples of squares (4, 9, 16, …)

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

Q21. How many factors does the number 24 have?

Q22. What is the smallest perfect square greater than 100?

Q23. Find the sum of the first three multiples of 12.

Level of Difficulty 1 (2 Questions)

Q24. How many factors of 1080 are perfect squares?

Q25. Find the number of positive integers less than 100 that are NOT multiples of any perfect square
greater than 1.

Level of Difficulty 2 (3 Questions)

Q26. If n is a positive integer such that n^2 + 10n is a perfect square, find the number of possible
values for n.

Q27. Find the total count of positive integers below 1000 that are divisible by either 13 or 15 but not
both.

Q28. How many numbers between 1 and 100 are divisible by 3 or 5 or 7?

Level of Difficulty 3 (2 Questions)

Q29. Determine the sum of all numbers between 500 and 1000 that have exactly 3 divisors.

Q30. If lcm(a, b) = p^10 (p is prime), find the count of distinct possible values for lcm(a^2, b^3).

Topic 4: Primes & Factorial Properties

Basics

1. Factorials as Prime Containers

Factorials store large counts of prime factors.

• n! contains all primes ≤ n

• Power of prime increases with n

2. Legendre’s Formula (Power Finder)

Used to find highest power of prime p in n!

 • Power = ⌊n/p⌋ + ⌊n/p^2⌋ + ⌊n/p^3⌋ + …

3. Bottleneck Principle

Used for composite divisors.

• Break divisor into primes

• Limiting prime determines result

• Trailing zeros:
Depend only on power of 5

4. Smallest n Such That n! is Divisible

• Prime factorize target number

• Identify highest prime power needed

• Estimate n using that prime

• Refine using Legendre’s Formula

5. Prime Digit Logic

• 2 is the only even prime

• Sum of digits of a prime cannot be multiple of 3

• If sum of two primes is odd, one must be 2

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

Q31. What is the sum of the first four prime numbers?

Q32. Find the value of 5!.

Q33. Is 91 a prime number? (Answer 1 for Yes, 0 for No)

Level of Difficulty 1 (2 Questions)

Q34. How many two-digit prime numbers exist where both digits are also prime?

Q35. Find the smallest n such that n! is divisible by 10.

Level of Difficulty 2 (3 Questions)

Q36. Find the smallest positive integer n such that n! is divisible by 2^3 × 3^5 × 5^7.

Q37. How many ATM PINs abcd can be formed if ab and cd are both 2-digit primes that sum to 102?
Q38. Find the last non-zero digit of 8^218 × 15^109.

Level of Difficulty 3 (2 Questions)

Q39. Find the number of natural numbers n such that 2^50 divides n! but n! is not divisible by 3^40.

Q40. Find the power of 5 in the factorial of 52.

Topic 5: LCM, HCF & Mixed Logic

Basics

1. Prime Factorization Perspective

• HCF: Minimum power of common primes (overlap)

• LCM: Maximum power of all primes (union)

• Numbers must be multiples of HCF and factors of LCM

2. The Golden Product Rule

For two numbers a and b:

• HCF(a, b) × LCM(a, b) = a × b

• Valid only for two numbers

3. Word Problem Triggers

• LCM keywords:
Smallest, minimum, next time, together, cycle

• HCF keywords:
Largest, maximum, divide equally, greatest length

4. Fractions: HCF & LCM

• LCM of fractions = LCM of numerators ÷ HCF of denominators

• HCF of fractions = HCF of numerators ÷ LCM of denominators

• Always simplify first

5. Mixed Logic: Proportions & Grids

• Inverse proportion → product is constant

• Grid division problems usually require HCF

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

Q41. Find the LCM of 12 and 15.

Q42. Find the HCF of 24 and 36.

Q43. If two numbers are 10 and 15, what is the product of their LCM and HCF?

Level of Difficulty 1 (2 Questions)

Q44. Two numbers are in the ratio 3:4. If their HCF is 5, find the larger number.

Q45. Find the smallest number which when divided by 12 and 16 leaves no remainder.

Level of Difficulty 2 (3 Questions)

Q46. Two numbers a and b are inversely proportional. If a increases by 100%, find the percentage
decrease in b.

Q47. Count the pairs (A, B) such that A ≤ B, their HCF is between 10 and 15, and their LCM is
between 15 and 20.

Q48. Three bells toll at intervals of 4, 6, and 8 minutes. If they toll together now, in how many
minutes will they next toll together?

Level of Difficulty 3 (2 Questions)

Q49. Ajay and Bijay move toward each other on a 300-unit line. In each phase, they move 10 units,
turn left 10, right 10, right 10, and left 10. Find the total distance walked by Ajay when they meet.

Q50. If 2^384 × 3^324 = m^m × n^n, find the maximum possible value of m/n.
 PROBABILITY

Topic 1: Classical Probability & Counting

Basics

1. The "Replacement" Check

This is the most frequent trap in the NSET.

• With Replacement:
The total number of items stays the same for every draw.
The probability for the second event is identical to the first.

• Without Replacement:
The total number of items (and potentially the specific category) decreases by 1 after each
draw.

• NSET Tip:
If the story says "selecting a ball five times with replacement", you are dealing with
independent events where you simply multiply the base probability five times.

2. The "Same Suit" Logic

A standard deck of 52 cards is a favorite NSET scenario.

• The Shortcut:
If you draw two cards with replacement and want to know the probability they belong to the
same suit, the first card doesn't matter.
It just "sets" the suit. Only the second card needs to match the first.

• Calculation:
There are 13 cards of each suit.
The probability is simply 13/52 = 1/4 or 0.250.

3. Combinations (nCr) for Selection

When the order of picking doesn't matter (like picking a committee or a set of gems), use the
combination formula nCr.

• Example:
Drawing 2 red balls out of 7 is calculated as 7C2 = 21 ways.
 • NSET Tip:
Always calculate the total ways (nCr for the whole set) first,
then the favorable ways (nCr for the specific group).

4. The "Decimal" Precision

NSET almost always requires rounding your answer to 3 decimal places.

• Rule:
If the answer is 0.54, write 0.540.
If the answer is 0.5447, round it to 0.545.

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. A bag contains 4 red and 6 blue balls. If a student draws one ball at random, what is the
probability it is red?

2. A fair six-sided die is rolled once. What is the probability that the number shown is a prime
number?

3. Two fair coins are tossed simultaneously. What is the probability of getting at least one
Heads?

Level 1 (2 Questions)

4. A standard deck of 52 cards is shuffled. If one card is drawn, what is the probability it is
either a King or a Heart?

5. A student picks a white ball exactly two times in five draws with replacement from a box
containing 2 black, 3 red, and 5 white balls. What is the probability?

Level 2 (3 Questions)

6. A magician holds a bag with 12 balls (7 red and 5 blue). He draws two balls without
replacement. What is the probability that both are red?

7. A deck of 52 cards is shuffled. If two cards are drawn with replacement, what is the
probability that both cards belong to the same suit?

8. Three fair dice are rolled. What is the probability that the sum of the numbers shown is
exactly 5?

Level 3 (2 Questions)

9. In a town where gems are represented by odd numbers between 1 and 25, a collector needs
to select 5 gems. If the probability of choosing a prime number gem is exactly 1/5, how many
different ways can the collector choose these 5 gems?

10. A four-digit number is formed using the first 6 natural numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) without
repetition. What is the probability that the number formed is divisible by 4?
Topic 2: "At Least" Logic & Complementary Events

Basics

1. The "At Least One" Shortcut

This is the most critical rule in NSET probability.

• P(at least one) = 1 − P(none)

• Example:
To find the probability of eating at least one poisonous chocolate from a box, calculate the
probability of picking no poisonous chocolates and subtract from 1.

2. Complementary Events in Success/Failure

• If the probability of success is p, the probability of failure is 1 − p.

• Application:
Used in problems involving neither player, none of the participants, or no selection.

3. The "No Two Share" Logic (Birthday Paradox)

Used when asked for the probability that at least two people share a birthday or code.

• Strategy:
Calculate the probability that everyone is unique.

• For the first person there are 365 options.

• For the second person there are 364 options, and so on.

4. Rounding and Story Context

• Keep intermediate fractions until the final step.

• Round the final answer to 3 decimal places.

• Story-based problems often hide complement logic.

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. A marksman has a probability of 0.65 of hitting a target. If he fires one shot, what is the
probability that he misses the target?

2. If a fair coin is tossed three times, what is the probability of getting at least one Heads?
 3. A box contains 10 light bulbs, 3 of which are defective. If one bulb is picked at random, what
is the probability it is not defective?

Level 1 (2 Questions)

4. A box of chocolates contains 10 chocolates, 2 of which are poisonous. If two chocolates are
eaten, what is the probability of eating at least one poisonous chocolate?

5. There is a 50% chance a VC funds Startup A and a 40% chance they fund Startup B. If there is
a 30% probability they fund both, what is the probability they fund neither?

Level 2 (3 Questions)

6. Five entrepreneurs pitch ideas. Each shark invests with probability 0.5. What is the
probability that at least one entrepreneur receives an investment?

7. Three employees are assigned entry codes activating on one of 365 days. What is the
probability that at least two share the same activation day?

8. Three integers are selected at random from a set. Given that the product is even, what is the
probability that at least one number was even?

Level 3 (2 Questions)

9. Determine the minimum number of employees required such that the probability of no two
sharing the same activation day is less than 50%.

10. Out of 100 spectators, 55 watched Day 1, 65 watched Day 2, and 75 watched Day 3. If every
spectator watched at least one day, what is the maximum number who watched all three
days?

Topic 3: Conditional Probability

Basics

1. Identifying the "Trigger"

Look for phrases such as:

• Given that

• If it is known that

• Find the probability of X, given Y

• Tip:
Whatever follows the phrase becomes the new total.

2. The Master Formula

• P(A | B) = P(A ∩ B) / P(B)

 • This represents the probability of A occurring given that B has already occurred.

3. The Tree Diagram Method

Used for multi-stage experiments.

• Draw branches for the first event.

• Draw sub-branches for the second event.

• Multiply probabilities along the branches.

4. The Table Shortcut

Used when percentages or population data are given.

• Place values into a 2 × 2 table.

• Intersection values are calculated first.

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. A fair six-sided die is rolled. Given that the number rolled is even, what is the probability that
it is 4?

2. One card is drawn from a deck. If it is known that the card is a face card, what is the
probability it is a King?

3. Two integers are chosen from a set. Given that their sum is even, what is the probability that
both numbers are odd?

Level 1 (2 Questions)

4. A family has two children. Given that at least one is a boy, what is the probability that both
are boys?

5. Two coins are tossed. If it is known that at least one shows Heads, what is the probability
that both show Heads?

Level 2 (3 Questions)

6. In a survey, 70% drive cars and 60% ride bikes. If 40% of car owners also ride bikes, what is
the probability that a randomly met bike rider also drives a car?

7. Three integers are selected from a set. Given that the product is even, what is the
conditional probability that at least two numbers were even?

8. Pond X has 5 yellow and 2 green lilies and Pond Y has 2 yellow and 6 green lilies. Given that a
green lily is drawn, what is the probability it came from Pond X?

Level 3 (2 Questions)
 9. A box has 10 chocolates, 2 poisonous. Two people eat chocolates sequentially. Given that the
second person did not get poisoned, what is the probability that the first person did?

10. The letters of the word PROBABILITY are arranged randomly. Given that the two B’s are
adjacent, what is the probability that all the vowels are together?

Topic 4: Probability in Arrangements & Circular Seating

Basics

1. Linear Arrangements

• Total arrangements = n!

• Divide by factorials of repeated letters.

• Bundle Method:
Treat items that must be together as one unit.

• Gap Method:
Arrange unrestricted items first and place restricted items in gaps.

2. Circular Seating Logic

• Total circular arrangements = (n − 1)!

• One person is fixed to remove rotational symmetry.

• Together Constraint:
Bundle the pair, arrange, then multiply by 2.

3. Number Formation Probability

• Check whether repetition is allowed.

• Probability = Favorable outcomes / Total outcomes.

Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. Four friends are seated at a round table. What is the probability that a specific friend sits
directly to the left of another?

2. The letters of the word CAT are rearranged. What is the probability the word starts with C?

3. A 3-digit PIN is formed using digits without repetition. What is the probability that the
number formed is 123?
Level 1 (2 Questions)

4. Six friends are seated randomly at a round table. What is the probability that two specific
friends sit next to each other?

5. The letters of the word ELBOW are arranged alphabetically. What is the probability that a
randomly selected arrangement starts with E?

Level 2 (3 Questions)

6. The letters of the word ARRANGEMENT are rearranged. What is the probability that all R’s
are adjacent?

7. Six friends sit on six identical chairs around a circular table. What is the probability that no
two friends whose names start with consecutive letters sit next to each other?

8. A four-digit number is formed using the first 6 natural numbers without repetition. What is
the probability the number is divisible by 4?

Level 3 (2 Questions)

9. Six friends sit around a triangular table with two seats on each side. What is the probability
that two specific friends sit on the same side?

10. The letters of the word PROBABILITY are arranged randomly. What is the probability that the
two B’s are separated by exactly two other letters?

PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS

Topic 1: Fundamental Counting & Digit Logic

Basics

1. The Fundamental Counting Principle

• Multiplication Rule:
If you have to perform multiple tasks together (like filling 4 digits of a PIN), multiply the
number of ways for each task.
 • Addition Rule:
If you have to choose between different cases (e.g., a 3-digit number OR a 4-digit number),
calculate each separately and add them up.

2. The "Slot Method" for Constraints

Draw a box for each digit:

[ ][ ][ ][ ]

• Zero Constraint:
For a 4-digit number, the first slot cannot be '0' (9 options: 1–9).

• Repetition:
If "distinct digits" are required, the number of options decreases for each slot (9 × 8 × 7 × 6).
If repetition is allowed, they stay the same (9 × 10 × 10 × 10).

• Digit Pool:
Always identify which digits are allowed. For "non-prime" digits, your pool is 0, 1, 4, 6, 8, 9.

3. Special NSET "Logic" Filters

• Awesome Numbers (Non-decreasing Order):

If digits must be in non-decreasing order (e.g., 1557), you are essentially selecting digits from
the pool.
Because the order is fixed (smallest to largest), once you pick the digits, there is only one way
to arrange them.

• Extreme Digit Constraints:

If the "minimum digit is 2 and maximum is 5," your pool is 2, 3, 4, 5.
Calculate total ways using only 2–5 and subtract the cases where the 2 or the 5 are missing.

• Multiples Rule:
If an even position must be a multiple of the previous odd position, fill the odd positions first
and then count how many multiples exist in the pool for the next slot.

Practice Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. Standard PINs: How many 4-digit security PINs can be formed using digits 0–9 if repetition of
digits is allowed?

2. Distinct Numbers: How many 3-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 1, 2, 3, 4 if each
digit can be used only once?

3. Even or Odd: How many 3-digit numbers end with an even digit? (Assume the first digit
cannot be 0).

Level 1: Moderate Complexity (2 Questions)

 4. The Non-Prime Code: How many 3-digit numbers can be formed using only non-prime digits,
where the first digit is not zero?

5. Multiples Rule: A 2-digit code is formed where the second digit must be a multiple of the
first digit (digits from 1–9). How many such codes exist?

Level 2: NSET Standard (3 Questions)

6. Awesome Numbers: How many 3-digit Awesome Numbers exist where the digits are in non-
decreasing order (e.g., 123, 112)?

7. The Range Limit: How many 4-digit numbers are there where the smallest digit used is 3 and
the largest digit used is 7?

8. Digit Pool Constraints: Find the number of 4-digit numbers such that the minimum digit is 2
and the maximum digit is 5.

Level 3: Difficult/Logic-Based (2 Questions)

9. The Complex Identification: A 3-digit identification code is generated (digits 0–9). The code
must contain at least one even digit and cannot begin with the digit 0. How many valid codes
are there?

10. Natural Number Bounds: How many unique natural numbers below 54,123 can be formed
ensuring that every digit in the number is a non-prime digit?

Topic 2: Word Arrangements & Alphabetical Rank

Basics

1. Handling Repetitions (The DNA of the Word)

• When a word has repeating letters, the total number of arrangements is not just n!.

• You must divide by the factorials of the counts of each repeating letter.

• Formula:
n! / (a! b! c!)

• Example:
For PROBABILITY (11 letters: 2 B’s, 2 I’s), total ways = 11! / (2! × 2!)

2. The "Bundle" Method (Forced Adjacency)

• If the problem says certain letters must be adjacent, treat that entire group as a single
bundle.

• Step 1: Tie the required letters together into one block.

• Step 2: Count this block as one item and arrange it with the remaining individual letters.

• Step 3: Multiply by the number of ways the letters inside the bundle can arrange themselves.
3. The "Gap" Method (Forbidden Adjacency)

• If the problem says certain letters must not be adjacent, use the gap strategy.

• Step 1: Arrange all the other letters first.

• Step 2: Identify the empty spaces (gaps) between these letters, including the ends.

• Step 3: Place the forbidden letters into these gaps.

4. Finding the Alphabetical Rank (Dictionary Order)

• Step 1: List the letters of the word in alphabetical order.

• Step 2: Count how many words start with letters that come before your target letter.

• Step 3: Once you reach your target starting letter, move to the second position and repeat
the process.

Practice Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. Simple Permutation: In how many distinct ways can the letters of the word SCALER be
arranged?

2. Basic Repetition: How many unique arrangements can be made using all the letters of the
word APPLE?

3. Vowel Start: How many ways can the letters of the word ORANGE be arranged such that the
word always starts with a vowel?

Level 1: Moderate Complexity (2 Questions)

4. The Bundle Rule: How many arrangements of the word LEADER are possible where all the
vowels are always together?

5. Dictionary Start: If all arrangements of the letters in ELBOW are listed alphabetically, how
many words will appear before the first word starting with L?

Level 2: NSET Standard (3 Questions)

6. The ARRANGEMENT Puzzle: How many ways can you arrange the letters in ARRANGEMENT
such that all the R’s are adjacent, but no two A’s are adjacent?

7. Finding the Rank: If the letters of the word ELBOW are arranged in all possible ways and
listed in alphabetical order, what is the exact position (rank) of the word ELBOW?

8. Partial Selection: Given the word PROBABILITY, how many unique 4-letter arrangements can
be made?

Level 3: Difficult/Logic-Based (2 Questions)

 9. The B Constraint: In arrangements of the word PROBABILITY, how many ways can the letters
be placed such that the two B’s are separated by exactly two other letters?

10. Complex Rank: If the letters of the word BANANA are arranged in all possible ways and listed
alphabetically, what is the rank of the word BANANA?

Topic 3: Selection & Constraint-Based Logic

Basics

1. The Fundamental Tool (nCr)

• Use the Combination formula whenever order does not matter.

• Picking friends for a team is a Combination.

• Assigning roles is a Permutation.

2. Handling "Must Not" Constraints (Conflict Management)

• Use the Subtraction Method.

• Step 1: Calculate Total Ways.

• Step 2: Calculate Forbidden Ways.

• Result: Total Ways − Forbidden Ways.

3. Selection from Multiple Groups

• Treat each group as a separate task.

• Pick items from Group A.

• Pick items from Group B.

• Multiply the results.

4. The "At Least One" Rule in Selection

• Calculate ways to select any number of items from each group.

• Subtract the cases where one group is missing.

Practice Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

 1. The Committee Start: A group has 10 individuals. In how many ways can a committee of 5
people be formed if there are no restrictions?

2. Fruit Basket: You have 5 apples and 4 oranges. In how many ways can you select 2 apples
and 2 oranges?

3. The Small Selection: Out of 7 different books, you want to pick 3 to read. How many
different sets can you choose?

Level 1: Moderate Complexity (2 Questions)

4. The Movie Night: A movie club has 4 thriller movies and 5 sci-fi movies. In how many ways
can you select exactly 2 thriller and 2 sci-fi movies?

5. Required Member: A team of 6 is to be formed from 10 players. If the team captain must
always be included, how many teams can be formed?

Level 2: NSET Standard (3 Questions)

6. The Rivalry Rule: A committee of 5 is formed from 10 individuals. Two refuse to work
together. In how many ways can the committee be formed?

7. Gender Balance: A research team of 4 is formed from 6 men and 5 women, with exactly 2
men and 2 women. How many ways are possible?

8. The Collection Split: Movies are selected from two collections such that 4 thriller and 4 sci-fi
movies are selected in total. How many ways are possible?

Level 3: Difficult/Logic-Based (2 Questions)

9. The Multiple Constraints: A group of 12 players includes 3 goalkeepers. A team of 7 is

formed with at least one goalkeeper but not all three. How many ways are possible?

10. Internship Selection: Out of 9 gadgets, 8 are selected such that 2 specific gadgets are not
together. How many selections are possible?

Topic 5: Linear, Circular & Symmetrical Seating

Basics

1. Linear Arrangements (Rows & Directions)

• Relative positions depend on left and right.

• Direction (North/South) changes perspective.

• Draw arrows to track direction.

2. Circular Seating & Symmetry

• Total circular arrangements = (n − 1)!

 • Fix one person to break rotational symmetry.

• Bundle people if adjacency is required.

3. Unique Shapes (Triangles & Squares)

• Corner seats and side seats are different.

• Identify unique starting positions.

• Multiply by linear arrangements of remaining people.

Practice Questions

Very Basic (3 Questions)

1. Simple Row: Five friends are sitting in a row facing North. In how many ways can they be
seated?

2. Basic Circle: Four friends sit around a circular table. How many unique arrangements are
possible?

3. The Neighbor: Three friends sit in a row. In how many ways is A always in the middle?

Level 1: Moderate Complexity (2 Questions)

4. Opposite Seats: Four friends sit at a circular table. If one must sit opposite another, how
many arrangements are possible?

5. Directional Row: Four individuals sit in a row with two facing North and two facing South.
How many direction arrangements are possible?

Level 2: NSET Standard (3 Questions)

6. The Symmetrical Row: Seven friends sit in a row with symmetry constraints. What is the
maximum number to the left of a specific person?

7. Alphabetical Avoidance: Six friends sit in a circle with name constraints. Who sits opposite a
specific friend?

8. The Car Lineup: Five cars are parked with placement constraints. Which car is at the extreme
right?

Level 3: Difficult/Logic-Based (2 Questions)

9. The Triangular Challenge: Six individuals sit around a triangular table with symmetry. How
many distinct arrangements are possible?

10. The Complex Row: Four chairs with direction and position constraints. How many valid
seating arrangements exist?
EXPONENTIALS AND LOGARITHMS