FACTORIAL,

PERMUTATION and
COMBINATION

Problem Solving
Factorial

! Let n be a positive number. Then n factorial denoted

by n! is:

n! = n x (n-1) x (n-2) x (n-3) x x 1

Note: 0! = 1
1! = 1
Example:
! a. 4! = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1
= 24

! b. 7! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1
= 5,040

! c. 8!/5! = 8 x 7 x 6 x 5!
5!
= 336
PERMUTATION
! A permutation of an objects is an arrangement
of those objects in which the order is
important.

! Objects may not be repeated.

Linear Permutation
! Given a set of n objects, then we can take r from
the set

n!
P
n r =
( n r )!
( permutation of n objects taken r at a time )
Evaluate:
6! 6!
! a. 6P3 = =
(6 3)! 3!
6 x5 x 4 x3 x 2 x1 720
=
3 x 2 x1
=
6
= 120
12! 12!
! b. 12P12 = =
(12 12)! 0!
12 x11x10 x9 x8 x7 x6 x5 x 4 x3x 2 x1 479,001,600
= =
1 1
= 479,001,600
Example:
In how many ways can 5 persons be seated
in 5 chairs?

! n = 5 (5 people)
! r = 5 (5 people taken to sit)

5!
5 P5 =
(5 5)!
5! 5 x 4 x3 x 2 x1
= =
0! 1
= 120ways
1. How many 3 elements permutation can
be formed from a set {a, b, c}? List all
elements.

Sol'n:
n=3
r=3

3P3 = 3!
(3-3)!
= 6 arrangements
2. How many 4-digit postal codes
are there if no digit is
repeated?
soln:
a. 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 = 5,040
b. n = 10
r=4
10P4 = 10!
(10-4)!

= 5,040
3. A computer password consists of 3
letters of the English alphabet. How
many passwords are there if repetition
is not allowed?
soln:
a. 26 x 25 x 24 = 15,600
b. n = 26
r=3
26P3 = 26!
(26-3)!

= 15,600
4. In how many ways can 10 vases
be arranged in a row?
! n = 10
! r = 10
10!
P
10 10 =
(10 10)!
10! 10 x9 x8 x7 x6 x5 x 4 x3 x 2 x1
= =
0! 1

= 3,628,800ways
5. In how many ways can 10 books
taken 5 at a time be arranged in a shelf?
! n = 10
! r=5
10!
10 P5 =
(10 5)!
10!
=
5!
= 30,240 ways
6. In how many ways can 6 boys
be seated in a row of 4 chairs?
! n=6
! r=4
6!
6 P4 =
(6 4)!
6!
=
2!

= 360ways
7. How many ways can 5 people line up for a
group picture if 2 wants to stand next to
each other?

! Since 2 persons want to stand next to each other, they will be considered as
one. So the original 5 persons will be just 4.

!
4
P4 = ways to arrange 4 persons

!
2
P2 = ways to arrange the 2 persons who wants to be together in
the picture.

4
P4 x 2P2 = 24 x 2 = 48 ways
8. In how many ways can you elect a
President and a Vice President if there are 9
members?
! n=9
! r = 2 (take 2 members to be officers)
9!
9 P2 =
(9 2)!
9!
=
7!
= 72 ways
CIRCULAR PERMUTATION
! The arrangement of n objects in a circular
pattern

P=(n-1)!
9. In how many ways can 6 persons
be seated around a circular table?
n=6
P = (6-1)!
= 5!
=120 ways
10. In how many ways can 8 beads
be arranged to form a bracelet?
n=8
P = (8-1)!
= 7!
=5,040 ways
10. In how many ways can six ladies be
seated in a circular table such that two
of the ladies must always sit beside
each other.
Sol'n:
Consider the two ladies as one fixed object. Hence, these two
ladies taken as one can be arranged in two ways, thus
n=5
(n- 1) ! nPr = (5-1)! 2P2
= 4! . 2
= 24 . 2
=48 ways
COMBINATION
! Arrangement of objects without the reference
to order
! Repetition is not allowed and order is NOT
important

n!
C
n r =
r!(n r )!
List all permutations and combinations,
taking 2 letters from
A, B, C, D.
n = 4 and r = 2
! In Permutation ! In Combination
4! 4!
4 P2 = 4 C2 =
(4 2)! 2!(4 2)!

= 12 =6
AB BA AC CA AD DA AB AC AD
BC CB BD DB CD DC BC BD CD
1. In how many ways can a committee of four
people be selected from a group of 5 doctors
and 6 nurses?

! n = 11 (5 +6)
! r=4
11!
11 C4 =
4!(11 4)!
11!
=
4! 7!
= 330 ways
2. In how many ways can a committee of four
people be selected from group of 5 doctors and
6 nurses if at least 3 doctors must be included?
! We can have 3 doctors and 1 nurse OR
! We can have 4 doctors

5C 3 x 6C 1 = ways of selecting 3 doctors and 1 nurse

5C 4 = ways of selecting 4 doctors

( 5C3 x 6C1 ) + 5C4 = ( 10x6 ) + 5 = 65 ways

3. In how many ways can a committee of four
people be selected from group of 5 doctors and
6 nurses if at most 2 nurses must be included?
! We can have 2 nurses and 2 doctors OR
! We can have 1 nurse and 3 doctors OR
! We can have 0 nurse and 4 doctors.

6C 2 x 5C2 = ways of selecting 2 nurses and 2 doctors

6C 1 x 5C 3 = ways of selecting 1nurse and 3 doctors
5C 4 = ways of selecting 4 doctors

( 6C2 x 5C2 ) + (6C1 x 5C3 ) + 5C4 = ( 15x10) + ( 10x6 ) + 5

= 215 ways
4. List the subsets of set X= {a, b, c} with r-
element.
r = 1? r = 2? r = 3? r=0?
5. How many committee of six members can be
formed from a set of 12 people?
6. How many are there to select to form a choral
group composing 2 girls and 3 boys from a set
of 5 boys and 6 girls?
7. How many ways are there to select 6 cards from
a deck of cards?
4. List the subsets of set X= {a, b, c} with r-element.
r = 1? 3 a,b,c r = 2? 3 ab, bc, ac
r = 3? 1 abc r = 0 ? {}
5. How many committee of six members can be
formed from a set of 12 people?
6. How many are there to select to form a choral
group composing 2 girls and 3 boys from a set of
5 boys and 6 girls?
7. How many ways are there to select 6 cards from
a deck of cards?
8. A basket contains 6 red balls and 5 blue
balls. How many are there to select?

a. 2 red and 4 blue

b. 3 red and 2 blue
c. 4 red
d. 3 blue