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INTRODUCTION TO PROBABILITY
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
Example 1: In a restaurant, a person can choose from the 7 viands, plain, garlic
or java rice, 2 kinds of beverages and 3 kinds of desserts. In how many ways can
this person choose what to have if he is to order one from each group?
Solution: A person can choose one viand, one type of rice, one drink, and one
dessert. The total number of possible choices are:
7 x 3 x 2 x 3 = 126 ans.
Example 1.1: If a 22-member club needs to elect a chair and a treasurer, how
many different ways can these two to be elected?
To elect a chair: m=22
To elect a treasurer: n=21
FPCMR: total possible ways = 22(21)=462.
Example 3: How many numbers greater than 4,000 can be formed from digits
0,1,2,3 and 4 using each digit only once in each number? ANS. 120
Example 3.1: How many possible 11-fone digit numbers are there starting with 0
digit or starting with 921?
2.36, p48(Walpole): a) how many three-digit numbers can be formed from the
digits 0,1,2,3,4,5, and 6, if each digit can be used only once? ANS. 180
b) How many of these are odd numbers? ANS 75
c) How many are greater than 330? ANS 105
# A witness to a hit-and-run accident told the police that the license plate
contained the letters R,L & H (not in order) followed by 3 digits, the first of which
is a 5. If the witness cannot recall the last two digits, but is certain that all 3 digits
are different, find the maximum number of automobile registrations that the police
may have to check. ANS. 432
3
III. Permutations
nP n = n! .
Example 4.1 a)How many distinct permutations can be made from the letters
of the word “COLUMN”? ANS. 720
b) How many of these permutations start with the letter “M”? ANS. 120
c) How many of these permutations start with the letter “M” and ends with
the letter “N”? ANS. 24
d) M and N will always stay together.
Example 5: How many four-letter permutations can be formed from the letters in
the word “heptagon”?
Solution : n = 8, r =4, 8P4 = 1680 ANS.
The permutation of n objects using n objects where n1 are the same, n2 are
the same, …, nk are the same and n1 + n2 + n3 + …. + nk = n is given by
n!
P .
n1! n2!...nk !
Example 6: In how many ways can you arrange the letters of the word
“probability”?
Solution: p = 1, r = 1, o = 1, b = 2, a=1, i = 2, l =1, t =1, y =1 n = 11
n! 11!
P 9,979,200 ans.
n1!n2!...nk ! (1!)7 (2!) 2
Example 6.2 : #2.20 p46, Walpole: In how many ways can 7 graduate students
be assigned to one triple and two double hotel rooms during a conference?
Solution: n = 7, n1 = 3, n2 = 2 ( two)
n! 7!
P 210 ans
n1! n2!...nk ! (3!)1 (2!) 2
Example 7: In how many ways can you sit 10 people in a round table with 10
seats?
P = (10-1)! = 9! Ans
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Example 2.18, p44: A president and a treasurer are to be chosen from a student
club consisting of 50 people. How many different choices of officers are possible
if a) there are no restrictions ANS, 2450
b) A will serve only if he is the president; ANS. 2401
c) B and C will serve together or not at all; ANS. 2258
d) D and E will not serve together. ANS. 2448
#1: Nine Mechanical engineering students are going on a field trip using 3 cars
that hold 2, 4 and 5 passengers respectively. In how many ways is it possible to
transport the 9 people to the ski lodge, using all the cars. ANS 4410
#2: A witness to a hit-and-run accident told the police that the license plate
contained the letters R,L & H (not in order) followed by 3 digits, the first of which
is a 5. If the witness cannot recall the last two digits, but is certain that all 3 digits
are different, find the maximum number of automobile registrations that the police
may have to check. ANS. 432