Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Permutations simplified determining the

number of outcomes from counting
problems when order mattered.
However, for many counting problems,
order does not matter. For example, it
doesnt matter what order you get your
cards dealt to you in a card game.

Welcome to COMBINATIONS

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

A combination is a collection of chosen

objects for which order does not matter.
To find the number of combinations
possible, first use the fundamental
counting principle/theorem (FCT) and
then divide by the number of ways in
which the items can be arranged.

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: How many different pairs of

cards can be selected from the 5 cards
in a royal flush?

Using FCT: 5!/(5-2)!=5 x 4 ways to choose 2

cards in order.
The 2 cards can be arranged 2! ways.
Therefore, the number of pairs of cards that
can be chosen is 20/2=10
AK,AQ,AJ,A10,KQ,KJ,K10,QJ,Q10,J10

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Combination

Notation C(n,r) or nCr meaning the number of

combinations possible in which r objects
from a set of n different objects.

P(n,r)
C (n, r )
P(r, r)
P(n, r )

r!
n!

(n r )!r!

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

How many ways can 2 people be chosen from

a set of 4 if order doesnt matter? Show the
results in an outcome diagram.
A

AB

AC

AD

BA

BC

BD

CA

CB

CD

DA

DB

DC

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: Ten stand-by passengers hope to get

seats on a flight from NY to London.

If there are 3 seats available on the plane, in how many

different orders can the names of 3 standbys be called?

10!
10!
P(10,3)

720
(10 3)! 7!

How many different combinations of 3 standbys can be

chosen for the flight?

10!
10!
C (10,3)

120
(10 3)! 3! 7! 3!

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: How many committees of 3 can be

formed from 8 people?

C(8,3)=8!/(5!3!)=56

Example: A farmer buys 3 cows, 2 pigs, and 4

hens from a man who has 6 cows, 5 pigs,
and 8 hens. How many choices does the
farmer have?

Cows C(6,3); Pigs C(5,2); Hens C(8,4)

Altogether
C(6,3)xC(5,2)xC(8,4)=20x10x70=14,000 ways

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Direct & Indirect Reasoning

Direct all suitable outcomes are totaled
(added) to arrive at a final answer
Indirect undesired outcomes are
subtracted from the total to arrive at a
final answer

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: In how many ways can 5 people be

selected from a group that consists of 4
adults and 8 children if the group must
contain at least 1 adult?

Using Direct Reasoning

#ways=C(4,1)C(8,4)+C(4,2)C(8,3)+C(4,3)C(8,2)+C(4,4)C(8,1)
=4x70+6x56+4x28+1x8=736

Using Indirect Reasoning

#ways=C(12,5)-C(4,0)C(8,5)
=792-1x56=736

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Probability and Odds

Often used interchangeably but mean
different things
Probability involves comparing the number of
favourable outcomes to the total number of
possible outcomes (4.1)
Odds involves comparing the number of
favourable outcomes to the number of
unfavourable outcomes.

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: There are 14 candies in a

bag some hugs (9) & some kisses (5).
You want to reach in for a hug.

The probability you will select a hug is

9/14.
The odds you will select a hug is 9:5

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Example: A standard deck of 52 playing

cards consists of 4 suits of 13 cards.

How many different 5-card hands can be

formed?
How many different 5-card red hands can
be formed?
How many different 5-card hands can be
formed containing at least 3 black cards?

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Different 5-card hands?

C(52,5)=52!/47!5!=2,598,960

Different 5-card red hands?

C(26,5)=26!/21!5!=65,780

Combinations

(Order Doesnt Matter)

Different 5-card hand with minimum 3 black?

By direct reasoning

3 black & 2 red

C(26,3)xC(26,2)=26!/23!3! x 26!/24!2!=845,000

4 black & 1 red

C(26,4)xC(26,1)=26!/22!4! X 26!/25!1!=388,700

5 black
C(26,5)=26!/21!5!=65,780

845,000+388,700+65,780=1,299,480