1. Permutations 7.2 Chapter 7 Combinatorics 7.2.1
MATHPOWERTM 12, WESTERN EDITION
7.2.1

2. Permutations A permutation is an arrangement of a set of objects
for which the order of the objects is important.
Show the number of ways of arranging the letters of the word CAT:
CAT
CTA
ACT
ATC
TCA
TAC
There are six arrangements or permutations
of the word CAT. By changing the order
of the letters, you have a different
permutation.
Using the Fundamental Counting Principle, we would have
3 x 2 x 1 number of distinct arrangements or permutations.
In calculating permutations, we often encounter expressions such
as 3 x 2 x 1. The product of consecutive natural numbers in
decreasing order down to the number one can be represented
using factorial notation:
3 x 2 x 1 = 3!
This is read as “three factorial”.
7.2.2

3. Evaluating Factorial Notation
10! = 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 =
By definition, for a natural number n:
n! = n(n - 1)(n - 2)(n - 3) x x 3 x 2 x 1
Simplify the following expressions. a) b) c) d) a) b)
= 132
= 720
7.2.3

4. Evaluating Factorial Notationd)
= (n + 3)(n + 2)
= n2 + 5n + 6
Express as a single factorial.
a) 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5!
= 9!
b) n(n - 1)(n - 2)!
= n!
c) (n - r + 1)(n - r)(n - r - 1)!
= (n - r + 1)!
7.2.4

5. Finding the Number of Permutations
1. Determine the number of ways that seven boys can line up.
7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5040
There are 5040 different ways that seven boys can line up.
The number of permutations of n
different objects taken all at a time is n!
2. In how many ways can the letters of the word HARMONY
be arranged? 7!
= 5040
There are 5040 ways of arranging the seven letters.
7.2.5

6. Finding the Number of Permutations
How many three-letter permutations can be formed from the
letters of the word DINOSAUR? 8 7 6
____ x ____ x ____
There are 336 ways.
1st nd rd
336 represents the number of permutations
of eight objects taken three at a time.
This may be written as 8P3.
(This is read as “eight permute three”.)
In general, if we have n objects but only want to select r objects
at a time, the number of different arrangements is:
The number of permutations of n objects taken n at a time is:
nPn = n!
7.2.6

7. Finding the Number of Permutations
A special case of this formula occurs when n = r.
3P3 = 3!
From these two results, we can see that 0! = 1.
To have meaning when r = n, we define 0! as 1.
1. Find the value of each expression:
a) 6P3
= 120
b) 10P7 =
2. Using the letters of the word PRODUCT, how many
four-letter arrangements can be made?
7P4
= 840
There are 840 arrangements.
7.2.7

8. Finding the Number of Permutations
Solve for n.
nP2 = 90
n(n - 1) = 90
  n2 - n = 90
  n2 - n - 90 = 0
(n - 10)(n + 9) = 0
n Î N
n + 9 = 0
n = -9
n - 10 = 0
n = 10 OR
Therefore, n = 10.
7.2.8

9. Finding the Number of Permutations
1. How many six-letter words can be formed from the letters
of TRAVEL? (Note that letters cannot be repeated)
a) If any of the six letters can be used:
6P6 = 6!
= 720
b) If the first letter must be “L”:
1 x 5P5 = 1 x 5!
= 120
c) If the second and fourth letters are vowels:
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 2 1
2 x 1 x 4! = 48 V V
d) If the “A” and the “V” must be adjacent:
(Treat the AV as one letter - this grouping can be arranged 2! ways.)
5! x 2! = 240
7.2.9

10. Finding the Number of Permutations
2. A bookshelf contains five different algebra books and seven
different physics books. How many different ways can these
books be arranged if the algebra books are to be kept together?
For the five algebra books: 5!
The five algebra books are considered as one item, therefore,
you have eight items (7 + 1) to arrange: 8!
Total number of arrangements = 8! x 5!
= x 120 =
3. In how many ways can six boys and six girls be arranged on
a bench, if no two people of the same gender can sit together?
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
b g b g b g b g b g b g
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
g b g b g b g b g b g b
Boys: 6!
Girls: 6!
The total number of arrangements is
6! x 6! x 2 =
7.2.10

11. Finding the Number of Permutations
4. In how many ways can the letters of the word
MATHPOWER be arranged if:
a) there are no further restrictions?
9! =
b) the first letter must be a P and the last letter an A?
1 x 7! x 1 = 5040
c) the letters MATH must be together?
6! x 4! =
d) the letters MATH must be together and in that order?
1 x 6! = 720
5. How many numbers can be made from the digits 2, 3, 4, and 5,
if no digit can be repeated?
4! + 4P3 + 4P2 + 4P1 = 64
7.2.11

12. Permutations with Repetition
How many four-letter words can be made using
the letters of PEER?
4P4 = 4!
Note that PEER and PEER are not distinguishable,
therefore, they count as one permutation.
When this happens, you must divide by the factorial of
the number of repeated terms.
For PEER, the number of arrangements is:
The number of permutations of n objects taken n at a time, if
there are a alike of one kind, and b alike of another kind, c alike
of a third kind, and so on, is:
7.2.14

13. Finding the Number of Permutations
6. How many arrangements of four letters are there from
the word PREACHING?
9P4 = 3024
7. How many distinct arrangements of MINIMUM are there?
= 420
8. There are six different flags available for signaling. A signal consists of at least four flags tied one above the other. How many different signals can be made?
6P4 + 6P5 + 6P6 = 1800
7.2.12

14. Solving Equations Involving Permutations
Solve nP2 = 30 algebraically.
n(n - 1) = 30
n2 - n = 30
n2 - n - 30 = 0
Therefore, n = 6.
(n - 6)(n + 5) = 0
n = 6 or n = -5
7.2.13

15. Separated Strategy (7x6x5) =151200
How many ways can the letters of the word HYPERBOLA be arranged if the letters PER must be separated
__H__Y__B__O___L__A__
Separated Strategy
Total Perms= (Perms of separators)x(Perms of separated)
=(perms of HYBOLA)x (perms of 7 blanks perm 3 at a time)
(7x6x5)
=151200

16. Permutations with Restrictions
1. In how many ways can the letters of the word ENGINEERING
be arranged? =
2. Naval signals are made by arranging coloured flags in a vertical
line. How many signals can be made using six flags, if you have:
a) 3 green, 1 red, and 2 blue flags?
b) 2 red, 2 green, and 2 blue flags?
= 60
= 90
7.2.15

17. Permutations with Restrictions
3. Find the number of arrangements of the letters of UTILITIES:
a) if each begins with one I and
the second letter is not an I.
b) if each begins with
exactly two I’s.
___ x___x ___ 3 6 7!
___ x___x ___x___ 3 2 6 6!
= 7560
= 2160
4. How many arrangements are there, using all the letters of the
word REACH, if the consonants must be in alphabetical order?
If the order of letters cannot be changed, then treat these
letters as if they were identical.
= 20
7.2.16

18. 2-D Pathways
Tom lives four blocks north and seven blocks west of Alice.
Each time Tom visits Alice, he walks only eastward or southward.
How many different routes can Tom walk to visit Alice?
Possible route for Tom
is ESESESESEEE.
Another possible route
is EEEEESSSEES.
Tom must walk a combination of
EEEEEEE and SSSS, to arrive at Alice’s house.
The number of ways in which he could do this would be
= 330.
How many different paths would there be on a grid of 8 x 10? =
7.2.17

19. How many different paths would there be on a grid x by y?
2-D Pathways
How many different paths would there be on a grid x by y?
number of pathways =
Calculate the number of
different paths from A to B. =
7.2.18

20. How many paths are there from A to B, if each path must
3-D Pathways
How many paths are there from A to B, if each path must
be as short as possible and follow the grid lines or edges?
How many different paths would
there be on a cube that is
10 by 12 by 8?
= 6
= 90
= 3.8 x 1012
How many different paths would
there be on a cube that is
x by y by z?
7.2.19

21. Determine the number of ways to get from A to B,
3-D Pathways
Determine the number of ways to get from A to B,
if you only travel along the edges or grid lines of the cubes
and the path must always move closer to B. A
= 30 B
Therefore, there are
30 ways of getting from A to B.
7.2.20

22. Assignment Suggested Questions Page 342 and 343 A 1-21, 22 ab, 23, 24
B , 35 a
Page 344
1 1 b, 2
2 1, 2, 4
7.2.21