Permutation and Combinations

Factorial
Let n be a positive integer. Then, factorial n, denoted n! is defined as: n! = n(n - 1)(n - 2) ... 3.2.1. Solved Examples: i. We define 0! = 1. ii. 1! = 1. iii. 4! = (4 x 3 x 2 x 1) = 24. iv. 5! = (5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) = 120.

Difference between Permutation & Combination

In English we use the word "combination" loosely, without thinking if the sequence/order of things is important or not. Examples:

"My mock-tail is a combination of pineapple juice, grapes juice and lime juice" . In this case we don't care what order the juices are mixed in, they could also be "grapes juice, pineapple juice and lime juice" or "lime juice, grapes juice and pineapple juice", its the same mock-tail.

" 5178 is my ATM Pin combination ".

Now in this case we do care for the order. 5187 will not work, nor will 5718, 5781, 1857, 1875 etc. The only sequence which will work is 5178. In mathematics: If the order doesn't matter, it is a Combination. If the order does matter it is a Permutation. => A Permutation is an ordered Combination.

Permutation - The order of arrangement matters here.

In mathematics permutation means act of rearranging (permuting) objects or values. In simple words: "the different arrangements of a given number of things by taking some or all at a time, are called permutations." Consider following three fruits which needs to be arranged in a straight line on a thin bench:

What are the different ways one can arrange these 3 fruits on table? Lets number these fruits as 1. Apple, 2. Mango and 3. Banana.

All possible arrangements of these 3 fruits are:

The number of different arrangements as you could see above is 6 or 3! = 3 2 1 -The number of permutations of n distinct objects is n(n 1)(n 2)1, which is commonly denoted as "n factorial" and written "n!". -All possible arrangements of letters of a word is a permutation of its letters. -For (a,b,c) or abc number of distinct objects are 3, hence permutation made with the letters a, b, c taking all at a time are 3! = 3*2 = 6 => (abc, acb, bac, bca, cab, cba)

Notes:
1. Taken r items at a time Number of all permutations of n things, taken r at a time, is given by:

nPr = n(n - 1)(n - 2) ... (n - r + 1) = n!/(n-r)!

Number of circular-permutations of n different things taken n at a time (a) When clockwise & anti-clockwise order are considered different
If clockwise and anti clock-wise orders are considered different, then total number of circularpermutations is given by (n-1)!

(b) When clockwise & anti-clockwise order are not considered different
If clock-wise and anti-clock-wise orders are taken as not different, then total number of circularpermutations is given by (n-1)!/2! Solved Example: Question 5: If 6 people are going to sitting at a round table, how many different ways can the group of 6 sit? Answer: Applying formula (n-1)! = (6-1)! = 120 Question 6:If 6 people are going to sitting at a round table, but Raj will not sit next to Simran, how many different ways can the group of 6 sit? Answer: First Way: a. Total circular permutations = (6-1)! = 5! = 120. b. Ways in which Raj and Simran sit together = 2! * 4! = 2*24 = 48 Required ways = Total - Together = 120 - 48 = 72. Second Way: a. We have total of 6 places. Fix Simran . Now Raj can't sit at either seat beside her. So number of places where Sam can sit = 5-2 = 3. For the other 4 people we can arrange them in 4! ways in 4 seats. So total ways = 3 * 4! = 72.

Number of circular-permutations of n different things taken r at a time

(c) When clockwise & anti-clockwise order are considered different

If clock-wise and anti-clockwise orders are taken as different, then total number of circularpermutations = nPr /r

(d) When clockwise & anti-clockwise order are not considered different
If clock-wise and anti-clockwise orders are taken as not different, then total number of circular permutation = nPr/2r

Combinations
The order of arrangement doesn't matter here. In mathematics a combination is a way of selecting several things out of a larger group, where order does not matter. Number of combinations The number of all combinations of n things, taken r at a time is:

nCr = n(n - 1)(n - 2) ... to r factors/r! = n!/(r!(n-r)!)

Important: