PERMUTATIONS &

COMBINATIONS
CHAPTER 2

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LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

1. Understand the terms permutation and combination, and solve

simple problems involving selections.

2. Solve problems about arrangements of objects in a line,

including those involving:
- repetition (e.g. the number of ways of arranging the letters
of the word `NEEDLESS’)
- restriction (e.g. the number of ways several people can stand
in a line if 2 particular people must – or must not –
stand next to each other)
2.1 Arrangements of distinct items
How many different ways are there of arranging all four
letters A, B, C and D in a line?

ABCD ABDC ACBD ADCB ADBC BCDA BCAD BDAC BDCA

BACD BADC CDBA CDAB CABD CADB CBAD CBDA DABC
DACB DBCA DBAC DCAB DCBA ACDB → 𝟐𝟒 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔

OR
𝟒! = 𝟐𝟒 ways
OR
𝟒 × 𝟑 × 𝟐 × 𝟏 = 𝟐𝟒 ways
2.1 Arrangements of distinct items
Example: Each of the letters of the word CAMBRIDGE is
written on a card and the card are placed in a line.

(i) How many different arrangements are there?

(ii) How many arrangements begin with CAM?

Answer:
(i) 9! = 362880
(ii) 6! = 720
2.1 Arrangements of distinct items
Example: A typist has five letters and five addressed
envelopes. In how many different ways can the letters be
placed in each envelope without getting every letter in the
right envelope? If the letters are placed in the envelopes at
random what is the probability that each letter is in its
correct envelope?

Ans : 5! − 1 = 119
1
Probability = 120
2.2 Arrangements of non distinct items
The number of different arrangements of n items of which p
𝒏!
are alike is 𝒑! .
The number of different arrangements of n items of which p
of one type are alike, q of another type are alike, r of another
𝒏!
type are alike, and so on, is𝒑!×𝒒!×𝒓! .

Example: Find the number of different arrangements using

all ten letters of the word STATISTICS.
Answer:
There are 10 letters to be arranged.
Consider the letters that are repeated. 10!
= = 50400
T occurs 3 times. 3! × 3! × 2!
S occurs 3 times.
I occurs 2 times. 3Ts 2Is
3Ss
2.3 Arrangements when there are
restrictions
Example 1: The word ARGENTINA includes the four
consonants R, G, N, T and three vowels A, E, I.
(i) Find the number of different arrangements using all nine
letters. (no restrictions, arrangement of non distinct
items)
(ii) How many of these arrangements have a consonant at
the beginning, then a vowel, then another consonant,
and so on alternately? (with restrictions)

Answer:
9!
(i) 2!×2!
= 90720
(ii) In total 5C 4V
CVCVCVCVC
5! × 4!
= = 720
2! × 2
Example 2: Adam has 11 different CDs, of which 6 are pop
music, 3 are jazz and 2 are classical. How many different
arrangements of all 11 CDs on a shelf are there if the jazz
CDs are all next to each others?

Answer:
6P 3J 2C
= 𝟗! × 𝟑!
= 2177280
P P

P P 3Js

P
P
C

C
Example 3: The eight sopranos in a choir are asked to stand
in a line, but Afif and Ranggo refuse to stand next to each
other. How many different arrangements can there be?

Answer:

AR ← consider as 1 item

Together with the 6 other sopranos there are now 7 items to

arrange, Afif and Ranggo can be arranged in 2 ways AR RA

= 7! × 2! = 10080

If there are no restrictions:

8! = 40320
Since Afif and Ranggo refuse to stand next to each other,
The number of different arrangements will be

8! − 7! × 2!
= 40320 − 10080 = 30240

OR

6 remaining sopranos,

𝑆1 𝑆2 𝑆3 𝑆4 𝑆5 𝑆6

6! × 7 × 6 = 30240

OR 6 ! P2  30240
7
2.4 Arrangements when repetitions are
allowed
Example 1: How many 5-digit odd numbers can be made
with the digits 2, 3, 6, 7, 8
(i) If repetitions are not allowed, for example 63287.
(ii) If repetitions are allowed, for example, 88663?

Answer:
(i) 4! × 2 = 48
(ii) 54 × 2 = 1250
Example 2:
(i) Safebank requires its customers to use a four-digit PIN
to access their account. Customers can choose any set
of 4 digits from 0, 1, 2, …, 9 and digits may be repeated.
How many possible four-digit PINs are there?
(ii) Smartbank requires its customers to use a password
consisting of four lower-case letters. Repetitions are
allowed. How many possible passwords are there?
(iii) Excelbank requires its customers to use a pass-code
consisting of four letters followed by four digits.
Repetitions are allowed. How many possible pass-codes
are there?

Answer:
(i) 4! × 2 = 48
(ii) 54 × 2 = 1250
(iii) 264 × 104 = 4569760000
2.5 Permutations (Arrangement)
DEFINITION:
A permutation is an arrangement of outcomes in which the
order does matter.
An r-permutation of a set of n elements is an ordered selection of r
elements from the set of n elements.

The notation P ( n , r ) represents the number of permutations

(arrangements) of n objects taken r at a time when r is less than o
r equal to n
.
! means factorial
Ex. 3! = 3∙2∙1
n!
n Pr 
n  r !
 Example 1
Find how many numbers bigger than 30000 but smaller than 40000 can
be formed from the digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 if no digits is repeated and
the number must be a multiple of 5.

3 5 5-digit number
Start with 3 and end with 5
Remaining 3 spaces to
fill and the digits must
be taken from the five
digits 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

∴ 5!
5 P3   60
5  3!
Example 2
A security code consists of 4 letters chosen from A, B, C, D, E, F, G
followed by 3 digits chosen from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Examples are BCDG102 (without repetitions) and
CCDD225 (with repetitions).
Show that more than five times as many codes can be made when
repetitions are allowed than when repetitions are not allowed.

There are 7 letters and 6 digits.

When repetitions are not allowed:
Arrangement of 4 letters from 7 letters × Arrangement of 3 digits from 6 digits

7 P4 6 P3
 840 120
 100800
When repetitions are allowed:
7 7 7 7 6 6 6 = 518616

518616 > 5× 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟖𝟎𝟎

So, more than five times as many codes can be made when repetitions
are allowed.
 2.6 Combinations
DEFINITION:

A combination is a grouping of outcomes in which the order

does not matter.

The number of combinations of n elements taken r

at a time is
.

n n!
  n Cr 
r r! n  r !
Example 1
A team of 3 is to be chosen from 10 athletes. How many different teams could
be chosen?

10  10!
 10 C3   120
3 3! 10  3!

Example 2
Issam has 11 different CDs of which 6 are pop music, 3 are jazz and 2 are classi
cal. Issam makes a selection of 2 pop music CDs, 2 jazz CDs and 1 classical CD.
How many different possible selections can be made?

6 3 2
× ×
2 2 1
=15 × 3 × 2
=90
Example 3
A collection of 18 books contains one Harry Potter book. Linda is going to choose
6 of these books to take on holiday.
(i) In how many ways can she choose 6 books?
(ii) How many of these choices will include the Harry Potter book?

18
(i) = 18564
6
17
(ii) = 6188
5

Example 4
A committee of 5 people is to be chosen from 6 men and 4 women. In how many
ways can this be done:
(i) If there must be 3 men and 2 women on the committee
(ii) If there must be more men than women on the committee
(iii) If there must be 3 men and 2 women, and one particular woman refuses to be
on the committee with one particular man?
 6 4
(i) × = 120
3 2
(ii) More men than women: 5M0W, 4M1W, 3M2W
6 4 6 4 6 4
× + × + ×
5 0 4 1 3 2
= 6 + 60 + 120 = 186

(iii) Total – 1M1W together

5 3
120 − ×
2 1
= 120 − 30 = 90
2.7 Combinations of r items from n
items when the items are not distinct
Example: Three letters are selected at random from the letters of
the word BIOLOGY.

Repeating letter: O

No letter O
5
__ __ __ → = 10
3

1 letter O
5
O __ __ → = 10
2

2 letters O
5
O O __ → =5
1

Total selections: 25
 2.8 Counting

A lunch special includes one main item, one side, and

one drink.

How many different meals can you choose if you pick

one main item, one side, and one drink?