2

PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS

After learning this chapter you will be able to * Understand the concept of permutations and combinations. * Distinguish between permutation and combination. * Understand factorial notation. * Understand the meanings of nPr and nCr. * Develop the skill in solving the problems. Introduction : In our daily life we come across many situations wherein selection and arrangements of objects are necessary. A boy wants to buy 3 different books from a Book shop. In that shop there are 5 different books. He selects 3 books out of 5. Selection of 3 books out of 5 is a combination. He arranges these books in his shelf in different ways everyday. Each way of the arrangement of books is a permutation. Permutation is an orderly arrangement of objects Combination is mere selection of objects Observe : The concept of permutations and combinations have applications in solving problems of probability and genetic engineering.

PERMUTATIONS
Consider the following examples Example 1 : There are three boys : ASHRITH (A), BHARATH (B) and CHETAN (C). Arrange them in a row, two at a time. Think : The arrangements are Can there be any more (i) A B (ii) A C arrangement? (iii) B A (iv) B C (v) C A (vi) C B There are 6 different ways of arrangements. These arrangements are called permutations.
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Is AB different from BA?

Example 2 :

You are given three different books. Physics (P), Chemistry (C) and Mathematics (M). Arrange them in a row taking all the three at a time.

The arrangements are (i) P C M (iii) (v) C M P P M C

(ii) (iv) (vi)

P C M

M M C

C P P

Out of three books, taken all at a time there are six permutations. Example 3 : There are four different digits 2, 3, 4, 5. How many numbers can be formed using two digits at a time? 2
3 4

3
5 24
2 4

4
5 34
2 3

5
5 43
2 3

4 53

23 25

32 35

42 45

52 54

There are 12 numbers. From four different digits, twelve 2-digit numbers are formed. There are 12 permutations. The results of the above three examples are as follows:Ex : No. Total no of Objects taken Symbol (nPr) No of objects (n) at a time (r) permutations Example (1) Example (2) Example (3) 3 3 4 2 3 2
3 3 4

P2 P3 P2

6 6 12

(i) Permutations of 3 objects taken 2 at a time is written as 3P2. This will be read as permutations of 3 objects taking two at a time. (ii) Permutations of 3 objects taken 3 at a time is 3P3. (iii) Permutations of 4 objects taken 2 at a time is 4P2. Hence permutations of n objects taking r at a time is denoted by nPr. Remember : In nPr, n and r are positive integers. n r Pr means the number of permutations of n things taking r things at a time An act of arrangement of objects in an orderly way is permutation
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n

1. Fundamental Principle of Counting : Example 1 : In a cinema theatre there are three entrance doors A, B, C and Two different exit doors P and Q.
A B C P Q

(i)

There are two ways of leaving the theatre if he enters through A. They are AP and AQ.

A B C

P Q

(ii)

If he enters through the door B then the ways of leaving the theatre are BP and BQ.

A B C

P Q

(iii)

If he enters through the door C then the exit ways are CP and CQ.

Altogether there are 2 + 2 + 2 = 6 different ways. For three different entrance doors and two different exit doors we have 3 x 2 = 6 different ways of entering and leaving the theatre. Example 2 : There are 3 towns A, B,C. There are 3 different roads from A to B and 4 different roads from town B to C.
a x y A z B b c d C

In How many ways can a person go from A to C through B? A to B 3 ways B to C 4 ways Total 3 x 4 = 12 ways

xa, xb, xc, xd, ya, yb, yc, yd, za, zb, zc, zd = 12 ways
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If one event occurs in m different ways and another event occurs independently in n different ways then the two events together can be done in (m x n) different ways. Worked Example : How many different outfits are possible if a boy has 3 shirts and 2 pants? Solution : The boy has two choices of a pant for each of the 3 shirts. He can wear 3 shirts in 3 different ways. He can wear 2 pants in 2 different ways. By Fundamental Principle, the number of ways = 3 x 2 = 6 Verification : Let us name the shirts S1,S2 and S3 Pants P1 and P2 The different outfits are S1P1, S1P2, S2P1, S2P2, S3P1 and S3P2 = 6.

2. To find the formula for number of Permutations of n things taken r at a time There are n different objects and r blank boxes in a row. Filling of r blank boxes by taking r objects from n objects is the number of permutations of n things taken r at a time. Box nos. 1 2 n1 3 n2 ..... (r1) n(r2) r n(r1)

No. of ways n

First place can be filled in n different ways Second place can be filled in n (2 1) = (n 1) ways Third place can be filled in n (3 1) = (n 2) ways The fourth place in n (4 1) = (n 3) ways Similarly the rth place in n (r 1) = (n r + 1) ways By Fundamental Principle r places can be filled in n (n 1) (n 2) (n 3) .... (n r + 1) ways This is the number of permutations of n things taken r at a time.
nPr = n (n 1) (n 2)......... (n r + 1)
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3. Factorial notation
n

Pr = n(n 1)(n 2) (n 3) ........ (n r + 1) Pn= n(n 1) (n 2) (n 3)...... 3 x 2 x 1

when r = n
n

Here R.H S is the Product of first n natural numbers and it is denoted by n!

nPn = n!

Remember : The product of first n consecutive natural numbers is denoted by n! or n and it is read as factorial n. Similarly
5

P5 = 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5! = 120 5 P5 = 5!

P4 = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 4! = 24 4 P4 = 4!

Pr = n (n 1) (n 2) (n 3) .................. (n r + 1) n (n 1)(n 2)(n 3).....(n r + 1)[(n r).....3 2 1] (n r )(n r 1).....3 2 1 n (n 1)(n 2).....3 2 1 (n r )(n r 1).....3 2 1
n

Multiply and divide by (n r) (n r 1) ........... 3 x 2 x 1

n

Pr = Pr =

Pr =

n! (n r)! Think :

Note (1) n Pr = n(n 1)(n 2)(n 3) .... 3 x 2 x 1 When r = 1, 2, 3, 4............ n P1 = n n P2 = n(n 1) n P3 = n(n 1) (n 2) n P4 = n(n 1) (n 2) (n 3)
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n! =n (n 1)!

Note (2)
n

Note (3) n! (n r)! Recall n Pn = nPn1

n

Pr =

Pr =

n! ( n r )!

When r = n
n

When r = 0
n

Pn =
Pn =

n! (n n )!
n! 0!

P0 =
=

n! (n 0)!
n! = 1 n!

0!=

n! n! = =1 Pn n!

nP0 = 1

Worked Examples : 1) Write the meaning of 6P2 Solution : The number of arrangements of 6 different things taken 2 at a time is 6 P2 2) Find the value of 5P3 Solution : nPr = n(n 1) (n 2) (n 3) ..... (n r + 1) when n = 5, r = 3 Recall 5 P 3 = 5 (5 1) (5 2) n P3 = n(n 1) (n 2) = 5 x 4 x 3 = 60 3) Evaluate 4P3 using formula
n Solution: Pr =

n! (n r )!
= 43 21 1

Note: 1! = 1 = 24

P3 =

4! 43 21 = ( 4 3)! 1!

4) In how many ways can 5 students be seated on a bench? Solution : 5 students are arranged in a row. Total number of arrangement = 5P5 n Pn = 5P5 = 5! = 5 4 3 2 1 = 120 ways
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5) Find the number of permutations of the letters of the word MOBILE. Solution: The word MOBILE consists of 6 different letters Number of permutations = 6P6 n = 6 n P n = 6P6 = 6! = 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 720 6) How many 3 - digit numbers can be formed using the digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 without repetitions?
Number of 3 digit numbers n Pr = 6P3 = 6 x 5 x 4 = 120

Solution : There are 6 digits

( n = 6, r = 3)

7) If nPn = 5040 find n Solution : nP n = 5040 n ! = 5040 n! = 1x2x3x4x5x6x7 n! = 7! n = 7 8) If 11Pr = 990 find r Solution : 11Pr = 990 11 Pr = 11 x 10 x 9 11 Pr = 11P3 r = 3 9) If nP2 = 90 find n n Solution : P2 = 90
n ( n 1) = 90 n ( n 1) = 10 9

1 2 3 4 5 6

5040 5040 2520 840 210 42 7

11 990 10 90 9 990 = 11 x 10 x 9

n(n 1) = 10(10 1) n = 10
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P2 = n(n1)]

10) If 5 nP3 = 4 Solution :

n+1

P3 find n P3 = n(n 1) (n 2) n+1 P3 = (n + 1) n (n 1)

n

[Replacing n by (n + 1)]

5 n ( n 1)( n 2) = 4( n + 1)(n )( n 1)

Divide both sides by n (n-1)

5( n 2) = 4( n + 1)

5n 10 = 4n + 4 5n 4n = 4 + 10 n = 14
11) Find the number of arrangements of the letters of the word ARUN. How many of these begin with A? Solution: (i) Word ARUN has 4 different letters = 4P4 Number of arrangements = 4! =4x3x2x1 = 24 (ii) For the words to begin with A we fix the letter A in the first place A
< 3

P3

>

After fixing the letter A in the first place, 3 letters R, U and N are left out. In the remaining 3 places we arrange these 3 letters in 3P3 ways
Number of arrangements

= 3P3 = 3P3 =3x2x1 =6

12) How many 3-digit numbers can be formed by using the digits 3, 4, 5 and 6 without repetitions? How many of these are even? Solution : (i) There are 4 digits 3, 4, 5 and 6
Number of 3-digit numbers

= 4P3 =4x3x2 = 24

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(ii) Consider 3-blank boxes Step (i): First fill up the units place. This place can be filled by any one of the digits 4 or 6 in 2 ways. H 2 T 3 U 2

ways ways ways

Step (ii) : After filling this place, three digits are left out. So the Tens place can be filled in 3 ways. Step (iii) : Similarly the hundreds place can be filled in the remaining 2 digits in 2 ways. By Fundamental Principle, all the 3-places can be filled in 2 x 3 x 2 = 12 ways. Exercise : 2.1 (1) Evaluate (a) 5! (b) 2! + 1! + 0! (a) 4P3 (b) 3P2 (c) 5P3 (c) 5P4

(2) Evaluate using formula : (3) Find 5P2 + 4P0 3P1

(4) In how many ways 4 people out of 6 people can be seated out in a row for a photograph? (5) If 5Pr = 5 ! find r (6) Find n if : (7) Find r if : (8) Find n if : (a) n! = 120 (a)
13

(b) n! = 720 (b) 8Pr = 336 (b) nP3 = 210

Pr = 156

(a) nP2 = 30

(9) Find the number of permutations of the letters of the words (a) MILK (b) WORLD

(10) If nP4 = 12 nP2 find n. (11) How many 3 digit numbers can be formed using the digits 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 without repetitions? How many of these are even numbers? (12) How many ways the letters of the word CHEMISTRY be arranged? How many of these begin with M? (13) How many 3-digit numbers are formed using the digits 0, 1, 2, 3 without repetitions? (14) In how many ways can 7 different books be arranged in a shelf? In how many ways can we arrange three particular books so that they are always together?
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COMBINATIONS
Consider an example There are three boys ASHRITH (A), BHARATH (B) and CHETAN (C). From these boys how many groups of two boys can be selected? The selections are 1 2 3 A B A C B C AB and BA AC and CA BC and CB Observe : are not different selections.

Three groups of selection can be made. These selections are combinations Example 2 : There are 3 different books physics (P), Chemistry (C) and Mathematics (M) In how many ways you can select them taking all at a time? P C M Observe : PCM, PMC, CPM, CMP, MPC, MCP are all same selection

There is only one selection. There is only one combination out of three books taken 3 at a time and is the only one way of selection.

Example 3 : There are four non-collinear points A, B, C, D on a plane. How many straight lines B can be drawn by joining these points in pairs? There are six straight lines. AB, AC, AD, BC, BD, DC These are the 6 ways of selection.
D A C

The number of combinations of 4 points taken 2 at a time is 6 Combination is mere a selection of different objects.
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Example 4 : How many committee of 3 members can be formed from a group of 4 people? Let A, B, C, D be 4 people. Committee formed are 1 2 3 4 A A A B B C D C C D B D Note: ABC, ACB, BCA etc are one and the same committees Note: 4C3 = 4

There are four committees. These are 4 combinations. The number of combinations of 4 people taken 3 at a time is denoted by 4C3 In general the number of combinations of n things taken r at a time is denoted by nCr. Observe:
AB BA BC Given 3 things A, B, C (n) taken AB

2
(r)

at a time

BC CB

AC AC CA
3

Note that : 3P2 = 3C2 x 2!

C2 = 3

Combination

P2 = 6

Permutation

1. To find the formula for number of combinations of n things taken r at a time. Permutation of n things Selection of r Arrangement of taken r at a time. = things out of n x r things.
nPr = nCr x r!
n

Recall

Cr =

Pr r!

Cr =

n! (n r)! r!

Pr =

n! (n r )!

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Note 1 :

Cr =
C2 =
C2 =

Pr r!
P2 2!
Recall P2 = n (n 1)

When r = 2

n (n 1) 2!

Similarly

C3 = C4 =

n (n 1)(n 2) 3! n ( n 1)(n 2)(n 3) 4! n! (n r )! r!

Note 2 :

Cr =

When r = n
n

Cn =

n! (n r )! n!

n! n! n! = = = 1 0! xn! 1xn! n!

0! = 1

n Cn = 1

Note 3 :

Cr =

n! ( n r )! r!

When r = 0,
n

Co =

n! (n 0)! 0!
n! n! 1 = 1
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n C0 = 1

Note 4 : Verify nCr < nPr Let n = 5, r = 3

n 5 n

Pr P3 Cr
5

= 5P3 = 5 x 4 x 3 = 60 ................. (1) = 5C3

5P3 3! = 5 4 3 = 10 .............. (2) 3 2 1

C3 =

Remember : n Cr nPr

From (1) and (2) : nCr < nPr Note 5 :

n

Cr

= nCnr

Let n = 5, r = 3
n

Cr C3

= 5C3
5

=
=

P3 3!
5C = 10 3

5 4 3 60 = 3 2 1 6

.............. (1)

Cnr C2 C2

= 5C53 = 5C2
5

P2 2!

Think : Why C5 is meaningless?

4

5 4 20 = 2 1 2
n

5C3 = 10 ................. (2)

From (1) and (2): Note 6 :

n

Cr = nCnr

C1 = n
n

P1 = n

nC1 = nP1

In nPr and nCr, both n and r are positive integers and n r .

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Worked Examples : 1) Evaluate 5C2 using formula

n

Cr =

n! (n r)! r! 5! / / 5! 5 4 3 2 1 / 5x 4 2 = = = = 10 (5 2)! 2! / / 3! x 2! 3 2 1 2 1 / 2

5 C2 =

2)

Evaluate 100C99 using formula Solution :

100

C99 = =

100 100

C100-99

( (

C1

= 1 3) Find the number of combinations of the letters of the word CAKE. Solution: The word CAKE has 4 different letters. Select all 4 letters at a time. The number of combinations = 4C4 = 1 ( nCn = 1)

4) There are 8 non-collinear points. How many straight lines can be drawn by joining these points? Solution : A straight line is got by joining any two points on a plane. There are 8 non - collinear points.
The number of straight lines

thus formed

= 8C2 =
= = 8(8 1) 2! 8 7 2! 56 2 n ( n 1) 2!

= 28
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n n

Cr = nCnr)

C1 = n)

C2 =

5) There are 7 non-collinear points. How many triangles can be drawn by joining these points? Solution: A triangle is formed by joining any three non-collinear points in pairs. There are 7 non-collinear points
The number of triangles formed = 7C3

7(7 1)(7 2) 3!

=
6) If nC2 = 10 find n n Solution: C2 = 10
n ( n 1) = 10 2!

7 65 = 35 3 2 1

2! = 2 1

n(n 1) = 10 x 2! = 10 x 2 = 20 n(n 1) = 5 x 4 = 5(5 1) n = 5 (By inspection) 7) If nC8 = nC12 find n n Solution: C8 = nC12 n C8 = nCn12 8 = n 12 8 + 12 = n 8) If 6Pr = 360 and 6Cr = 15 find r n Solution: Pr = nCr x r ! 6 Pr = 15 x r! 360 = 15 x r!
r! =

n = 20

360 = 24 15

= 4x3x2x1 r! = 4! r = 4
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Cr = nCnr)

9) A Box contains 5 Blue and 4 Red marbles. In how many ways can 4 marbles be drawn so as to include 2 red marbles? Solution: There are 4 red marbles. The number of ways in which 2 red marbles can be drawn from 4 red marbles is 4C2 ways
4C2 =

4 3 43 12 = = = 6 2! 2 1 2

Next select 2 marbles from 5 blue marbles in 5C2 ways

5C2 =

5 4 5 4 20 = = = 10 2! 2 1 2

The total number of ways = 6 x 10 = 60

10) How many diagonals can be drawn in a pentagon? Solution. A pentagon has 5 sides. We obtain the diagonals by joining the vertices in pairs.
Total number of sides and diagonals

Activity Draw a pentagon and its diagonals

D C

= 5C2
5 4 = 5 x 2 = 10 2! This includes its 5 sides also. =
Diagonals = 10 5 = 5

Hence the number of diagonals = 10 5 = 5

Diagonals are AC, AD, BE, DB, CE 5 diagonals

Remember : If a polygon has n sides, then it has (nC2 n) diagonals. 11) In how many ways can 4 people be selected from a group of 6 among which Ashok is one? How many of these include Ashok? Solution: (i) There are 6 people.
Number of 4 people groups

= 6C4 = 6C64 = 6C2

= 6 5 30 = = 15 2! 2

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(ii) Ashok is always included. Now form groups of 3 people out of 5 people. This can be done in 5C3 ways. 5C3 = 5C53 ways = 5C2
= 5 4 2! 5 4 20 = = 10 2 1 2

12)

From 8 gentlemen and 4 ladies, a committee of 6 is to be formed. In how many ways can this be done so that the committee contains exactly 2 ladies? Condition: Exactly two ladies. Ladies 4 2 Gentlemen 8 4 Number of ways
4

C2 x 8C4 = 6 x 70 = 420

4 8

C2 = 6 C4 = 70

13)

There are 6 bowlers and 9 batsmen in a cricket club. In how many ways can a team of 11 be selected so that the team contains at least 4 bowlers? Solution: Possibilities Bowlers 6 (1) (2) (3)
6

Batsmen 9 7 6 5 540 504 126

Number of ways

4 5 6

6 6 6

C4 x 9 C7 C5 x 9 C6 C6 x 9 C5

C4 x 9C7 = 15 x 36 = 6 C5 x 9C6 = 6 x 84 = 6 C6 x 9C5 = 1 x 126 = Total

= 1170
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Exercise : 2.2 1) Evaluate : (a) 5C4 3) Find n if

n

(b)

100

C98 (b) 7C2

2) Evaluate using formula : (a) 5C3 C8 = nC5 4) Find n given that (n + 1)C3 = 4 x nC2

5) If nPr = 336 and nCr = 56 find n and r 6) A school has 8 teachers. One of them is the Headmaster (a) How many committees of 5 can be formed? (b) How many of them have the Headmaster as a member? 7) There are 7 girls in a class room. Ashwini is one of them. In how many ways a committee of 5 be formed so as to exclude Ashwini? 8) There are 8 members in a club of which A and B are two members. A Committee of 5 is to be formed. How many of these will include A and exclude B? 9) There are 5 bowlers and 10 batsmen in a cricket club. In how many ways can a team of 11 be selected so that the team contains exactly 3 bowlers? 10) From 8 gentlemen and 5 ladies a committee of 6 is to be formed. In how many ways can this be done so that the committee contains at least 3 ladies? 11) There are 20 non-collinear points in a plane. How many (a) straight lines (b) Triangles can be drawn by joining these points?

JUST FOR FUN

Tower of Brahma Tower of Brahma is a temple in the Indian city of Benares. This tower, the description reads, consists of 64 disks of gold, now in the process of being transferred by the temple priests. Before they complete their task, it was said, the temple will crumble into dust and the world will vanish in a clap of thunder. The disappearance of the world may be questioned, but there is little doubt about the crumbling of the temple. The formula 264 1, yields the 20-digit number 18,446,744,073,709,551,615. Assuming that the priests worked night and day, moving one disk every second, it would take them many thousands of millions of years to finish the job.

If we consider a tower of three disks only, then the number of moves will be 23 1 = 7. So it can be solved by moving the disks in the following order : ABACABA If we consider a tower of four disks then the number of moves will be 24 1 = 15 i.e, ABACABADABACABA.

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