Quantitative Aptitude
PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS
Sol. : We have,
52 ! _ 52x51x50x49x48x47!
47! 5! ~ 47!x5x4x3x2xl
= 2598960
Fundamental Principles of Counting: Let's discuss
two fundamental principles viz. principle of multiplica-
tion and principle of addition. These two principles
form the base of permutations and combinations.
Principle of Multiplication : If there are two jobs such
that one of them can be completed in m ways, and
when it has been completed in any one of these m
ways, second job can be completed in n ways; then
the two jobs in succession can be completed inmxn
ways.
First of all we take an example to show the validity of
the above principle. Suppose there are three stations
A, B and C. Ram wants to go to station C. There are
three routes to go from A to B and two routes to go
from B to C. Ram can reach C only through station B.
We want to know the number of routes to go from A
toC.
Possible choices
R
i t r
R r
1 2
R r
2 x
^ 2 r
R i
3
r
R3 r 2
Total =6
Let us denote the three different routes connecting
stations A to B by Rj Rg and R . To go to station B,
3
Ram can use any one of the routes Rj, Rg and R . 3
Thus, there are three choices of routes for Ram to go
to the station B. Then for each one of these routes, he
can go to station C from station B by any one of the
two different routes, say either by r or r .
l 2
Thus for going from A to C via B, there will be 2 + 2+
2 = 3 x 2 = 6 routes.
Proof: If the first job is performed in any one of the in
ways, we can associate with this any one of the n
ways of performing the second job and thus there are
nways of performing the two jobs without considering
more than one way of performing the first, and so
corresponding to each of the mways of performing the
first job, we have n ways of performing the second
job. Hence, the number of ways in which the two jobs
can be performed is m x n.
Remark : It three operations can be separately per-
formed in in, n and p ways respectively, then the three
operations together can be performed in m x 11 x p
ways. Similr result holds for any number of opera-
tions.
Example : In a class there are 11 boys and 9 girls.
The teacher wants to select a boy and a girl to repre-
sent the class in a competition. In how many ways can
the teacher make this selection ?
Sol. Here, the teacher has to perform two jobs :
(i) selecting a boy from 11 boys, and
(ii) selecting a girl from 9 girls.
The first of these can be performed in 11 ways and
the second in 9 ways. Therefore, by the fundamental
principle of multiplication, the required number of ways
= 11 x 9 = 99
Principle of Addition : If a work A can be done in m
ways and another work B can be done in n ways and
C is a work which is done when either A or B is done,
then number of ways of doing the work C is m + n.
Note : AND =* Multiply: OR ==> Addition
Example : In a class there are 11 boys and 9 girls.
The teacher wants to select a boy or a girl to represent
the class in a competition. In how many ways the
teacher can make this selection ?
 Sol . Here, the teacher has to perform either of the
following two jobs :
(i) selecting a boy from 11 boys, or
(ii) selecting a girl from 9 girls.
The operation (i) can be done in 11 ways since anyone
of the 11 boys can be selected or (ii) i.e. selecting a girl
can be done in 9 ways. Hence, the teacher can make
the selection of either a boy or girl in 11 + 9 = 20 ways.
SOME THEOREMS ON PERMUTATIONS AND
COMBINATIONS
1. To find the number of permutations n different things
taken rat a time i.e.
" P = n (n - 1) (n - 2) (n - r + 1.)
r
Proof : The number of permutations of n distinct
things, taken r at a time, is same as the number
of ways in which we can fill up r places when we
have n different things at our disposal.
Now first place can be filled in n ways, for any one of
the n things can be used to fill up the first place.
The thing which has been put in the first place cannot
be put in other places. Therefore, after filling up the
first place we are left with ( n - i) things.
Now the second place can be filled up by any one of
the remaining (n-1) things.
Second place can be filled up in (n - 1) ways.
By multiplication rule of counting first and second
places together can be filled up in n ( a - 1) ways.
Now, the two things which have been put in the first
and second places cannot be put in any other places,
Therefore, after filling up the first and second
places, we are left with (n - 2) things.
Third place can be filled up in (n - 2) ways.
Now first, second, and third places can be together
filled up in n (n -1) [n 2) ways.
Here, we observe that.
(i) at each step the number of factors is equal to the
number of places filled up.
(ii) each factor is less than the preceeding factor by I.
- (n - r ) !
3. The number of all permutations of n distinct things
taken all at a time is n!.
The number of all arrangements of n different objects
taken r at a time when a particular object is to be
always included in each arrangement, is r. P _ .
R L - 1
R 1
5. The number of permutations of n distinct objects taken
r at a time when a particular object is never taken in
each arrangement, is P .
R L _ 1
R
6. To find the number of permutations of n things taking
all at a time when p of them are similar and of one
type, q of them are similar and are of another type, r
of them are similar and are of third type and the
remaining n-(p + q + r) are all different.
Proof: Given that out of n things p are alike and are
of one kind, q others are alike and are of other kind
and r others are alike and are of another kind.
Let the required number of permutations be x.
In any one of these x permutations, if p alike things of
one kind are replaced by p different things which are
different from the given n things, then the number of '
permutations of these p new things among themselves
without disturbing the arrangements of rest will be p!.
Thus if p alike things of one kind are replaced by p
different things number of permutations = xp\ (i)
Now if in any one of the x p! permutations we replace
q alike things of other kind by q other different things,
then number of permutations of these q new things
among themselves without disturbing the arrangement
of rest will be ql. Therefore, when p alike things of
one kind are replaced by p different things and q alike
things of other kind are replaced by q different things.
number of permutations = x ! p !q (ii)
Similarly when r alike things are also replaced by r
different things.
Number of permutations = x p q!! r (iii)
Now all the n things are different
.. number of permutations -n! (iv)
From (iii) and (iv) xp! q! r! =rt.'
- nl
' X
~ p!q!r! ( v )
This is the required number of permutations.
7. The number of permutations of n different things taken
rat a time when repetition is allowed is n . r
8. Circular Permutations : If we arrange the objects
along a circle etc., the permutations are known as
circular permutations, we have seen that every linear
arrangement has a beginning and an end, but there is
nothing like beginning or end in a circular permuta-
tion, so, in circular permutations we consider one
object as fixed and arrange the remaining objects as
in case of linear arrangements.
9. The number of circular permutations of n distince ob-
jects is ( n - 1 ) !
If anti clockwise and clockwise order of arrangements
are not different, for example arrangements of beads
in a neckless, arrangement of flowers in a garland,
then the number of circular permutations of n dis-
- - 1
tinct items is ( n - 1 ) !
10. The number of combinations of n different things tak-
ing r at a time is C .
n
r