QUESTIONS You assign 2 out of 9 people to babysit your sister. Is this an example of a combination or permutation?

You visit an orchard and collect 14 various types of fruit. Is this an example of a combination or permutation? You are distributing 10 items to 10 people. Is this an example of a combination or permutation?

STEP-BY-STEP ANSWERS In this case, the order doesn't matter (you end up with the same two people no matter the order they were picked), so it's a combination. In this case, the order doesn't matter (orange then apple still gives you one orange and one apple), so it's a combination. In this case, the order matters (who gets which item), so it's a permutation.

In this case order matters, since sitting someone to the For a dinner party, you need to make a seating arrangement of 15 people. Is this a combination or left or right is different, so it's a permutation. permutation? You assign 2 out of 6 people to babysit your sister. Is this an example of a combination or permutation? In this case, the order doesn't matter (you end up with the same two people no matter the order they were picked), so it's a combination.

In this case order matters, since sitting someone to the For a dinner party, you need to make a seating arrangement of 11 people. Is this a combination or left or right is different, so it's a permutation. permutation? You pick 3 people out of 12 to sit at a table with you. Then you let them choose their own seats. Is this an example of a combination or permutation? You are dealt 6 cards from a deck. Is this an example of a combination or permutation? Find the number of permutations of 7 distinct items. For a dinner party, you need to make a seating arrangement of 9 people. Find the number of different ways of arranging the party. In this case, the order doesn't matter, so it's a combination.

In this case, the order doesn't matter, so it's a combination. Each time we remove one item, there is one less left. So all we have to do is multiply : (7)(6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1) So we get 5040 for our answer. In this case order matters, since sitting someone to the left or right is different, so it's a permutation. The first person we pick can be any of 9 people. The second person we pick can be any of 8 people (since we have already seated 1 person). The third person we pick can be any of 7 people (since we have already seated 2 people). We keep going until everyone is seated. This means we have (9)(8)(7)...(2)(1) = 362880 for our answer. Each time we remove one item, there is one less left. So all we have to do is multiply:(9)(8)(7)(6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1) So we get 362880 for our answer.

Find the number of permutations of 9 distinct items.

To unlock a school locker, you need a locker combination consisting of 3 numbers from 1 to 6. Find the number of permutations you'll need to try.

You have a pile of 9 different coins. How many ways can you take 6 coins from the pile?

You hire 2 out of 6 people to build a garden. Find the number of possible ways of choosing your workers.

You have a pile of 8 different coins. How many ways can you take 3 coins from the pile?

In this case, we draw 3 blanks, one for each digit of the combination: ____ ____ ____ In each blank we can have any one of 6 numbers. (No one said they have to be different.) So we can fill in the blanks as: 6 6 6 Next, multiply (6)(6)(6) for our answer. The first coin is any one of the 9 coins. The second coin is any one of the remaining 8 coins. The next coin is any one of the remaining 7 coins The next coin is any one of the remaining 6 coins The next coin is any one of the remaining 5 coins The next coin is any one of the remaining 4 coins Then multiply them all together: (9)(8)(7)(6)(5)(4) = 60480 BUT -- order didn't matter! (combinations)This means we have to divide by the number of ways of arranging 6 objects! We can calculate that as: (6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1) = 720 60480 720 = 84. So we get 84 for our answer. The first person is any one of the 6 people. The second person is any one of the remaining 5 people. Then multiply them all together: (6)(5) = 30 BUT -- order didn't matter! (combinations) This means we have to divide by the number of ways of arranging 2 objects! We can calculate that as: (2)(1) = 2 30 2 = 15. So we get 15 for our answer. The first coin is any one of the 8 coins. The second coin is any one of the remaining 7 coins. The next coin is any one of the remaining 6 coins Then multiply them all together: (8)(7)(6) = 336 BUT -- order didn't matter! (combinations) This means we have to divide by the number of ways of arranging 3 objects! We can calculate that as: (3)(2)(1) = 6 336 6 = 56. So we get 56 for our answer.

You are dealt a hand of 2 cards from a deck of 7 cards. Find the number of possible hands you can get.

The first card is any one of the 7 cards. The second card is any one of the remaining 6 cards. Then multiply them all together: (7)(6) = 42 BUT -- order didn't matter! (combinations) This means we have to divide by the number of ways of arranging 2 objects! We can calculate that as: (2)(1) = 2 42 2 = 21. So we get 21 for our answer.