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A. Counting and Probability · Permutations and Combinations

Permutations and Combinations: Unit Review

A2.1 A2.2 A2.3 A2.4 A2.5About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can choose and use the right counting tool: the counting principles, n!, P(n, r), nʳ, n!/(a! b! …) or C(n, r).
  • I can handle conditions with cases, blocks, gaps and complements.
  • I can connect combinations to Pascal's triangle, grid routes and the binomial theorem, and use counting to find probabilities.

Words to know

permutation
An ordered arrangement: P(n, r) = n!/(n − r)!.
combination
A selection where order does not matter: C(n, r) = n!/(r!(n − r)!).
Pascal's identity
C(n, r) = C(n − 1, r − 1) + C(n − 1, r).

Let's review!

In this unit you learned to count without listing. You started with the multiplicative and additive counting principles and indirect counting. You used factorials and permutations P(n, r) for ordered arrangements, handled conditions with blocks, gaps and cases, and counted arrangements with repetition and identical objects. You met combinations C(n, r) for selections where order does not matter, and connected them to Pascal's triangle, routes on a grid and the binomial theorem. Finally, you used all of these to find probabilities of equally likely outcomes.

The next unit, Discrete Probability Distributions, builds directly on this one: the binomial and hypergeometric distributions are made of the combinations you have practised here.

How to use this review

Work through one or two sections at a time. Before calculating, write one line saying which tool you will use and why ("order matters, no repeats: P(n, r)"). That decision is where most errors happen. Check answers with a second method when you can (list a small case, use the complement, or solve it two ways). For each question you miss, note why: added instead of multiplied? used P instead of C? missed a case? Then revisit the lesson named in the section title. Finish with the 10-question quiz.

Counting principlesadd (OR), multiply (AND)Arrangementsn!, P(n, r), nʳ, n!/(a! b!)SelectionsC(n, r) = P(n, r)/r!Conditionsblocks, gaps, cases, complementsPascal's triangleroutes, binomial theoremProbabilityP(A) = n(A)/n(S)How the unit fits together
The counting principles power every formula in the unit; arrangements and selections handle conditions, lead to Pascal's triangle, and all of them feed into probability.
Just for fun

You now know that there are 13 983 816 ways to fill out a Lotto 6/49 ticket, 415 800 ways to scramble MISSISSAUGA and 56 shortest routes to school. That is a lot of counting, and you never had to list a single one of them.

Counting Strategies and the Multiplicative Counting Principle

1

A pizza has 1 of 3 crusts, 1 of 5 sauces and 1 of 8 toppings. How many pizzas?

2

How many even three-digit numbers have all different digits?

3

A code is 2 letters followed by 3 digits, repeats allowed. How many codes?

The Additive Counting Principle and Indirect Counting

1

How many whole numbers from 1 to 200 are divisible by 3 or by 7?

2

How many 3-digit codes (000 to 999) contain at least one 5?

3

One card is drawn. How many cards are red or an ace?

Factorial Notation and Arranging Distinct Objects

1

Evaluate 11!/9!.

2

Solve (n + 1)!/(n − 1)! = 30.

3

In how many orders can 6 runners finish (no ties)?

Permutations: Ordered Selections of Distinct Objects

1

Evaluate P(9, 3).

2

A president, vice-president and secretary are chosen from 15 people. How many ways?

3

Solve P(n, 2) = 72.

Permutations with Conditions

1

How many arrangements of PLANET have A and E side by side?

2

Four boys and four girls stand in a row, alternating. How many arrangements?

3

Three boys and four girls stand in a row with no two boys together. How many arrangements?

Permutations with Repetition and with Identical Objects

1

How many distinguishable arrangements are there of KINGSTON?

2

How many 3-letter codes can be made from A to F with repeats allowed?

3

How many sequences of 7 coin flips have exactly 2 heads?

Combinations: When Order Does Not Matter

1

Evaluate C(9, 4).

2

Twelve people each shake hands once with everyone else. How many handshakes?

3

Solve C(n, 2) = 45.

Combination Problems: Groups, "At Least" and Cards

1

A 4-person committee is chosen from 6 boys and 5 girls. How many have exactly 2 girls?

2

How many of those committees have at least one girl?

3

How many 5-card hands have exactly 4 spades?

Permutation or Combination? Choosing the Right Tool

1

Choose 3 of 8 photos and arrange them in a row. How many ways?

2

A team of 5 with a captain is chosen from 10 players. How many ways?

3

Four prizes go to 4 of 9 people (one each). How many ways if the prizes are identical? If they are all different?

Pascal's Triangle and Combinations

1

Write row 7 of Pascal's triangle.

2

Write C(11, 6) + C(11, 7) as a single combination.

3

What is the sum of row 10?

C(6, 2) + C(6, 3) = 15 + 20 = 35 = C(7, 3)row 01row 111row 2121row 31331row 414641row 515101051row 61615201561row 7172135352171
Pascal's triangle holds the combinations: row n, position r is C(n, r). The highlighted entries show Pascal's identity.

Counting Routes on a Grid

1

How many shortest routes go 6 blocks east and 3 blocks south?

2

How many of them pass the corner 3 E, 1 S?

3

How many avoid that corner?

Binomial Coefficients and the Binomial Theorem

1

Expand (x + 2)³.

2

Find the coefficient of x² in (3x − 1)⁴.

3

How many terms are in the expansion of (a + b)¹⁵?

Probability Using Counting: Equally Likely Outcomes

1

A bag has 4 green and 6 blue marbles. Two are drawn without replacement. Find P(both green).

2

Same bag, with replacement. Find P(both green).

3

The letters of MAPLE are arranged at random. Find P(the arrangement starts with a vowel).

Solving Probability Problems with Counting Principles

1

Of 12 bulbs, 2 are defective. Three are chosen. Find P(no defective bulbs).

2

For the same sample, find P(at least one defective).

3

A coin is flipped 6 times. Find P(exactly 3 heads).

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

You own 3 toques, 4 scarves and 2 pairs of mittens. How many outfits of one of each are possible?

2.

n(A) = 15, n(B) = 10 and n(A and B) = 4. What is n(A or B)?

3.

What is 7!?

4.

What is P(8, 3)?

5.

How many distinguishable arrangements are there of the letters of CANADA?

6.

What is C(10, 3)?

7.

Which expression counts committees of 5 chosen from 8 boys and 7 girls with exactly 3 girls?

8.

Which single combination equals C(7, 3) + C(7, 4)?

9.

How many shortest routes go 4 blocks east and 3 blocks south?

10.

Two marbles are drawn without replacement from 12 green and 16 blue. What is P(both green)?

For parents and teachers

Use the review to find what to revisit:

  • Adding when the problem needs multiplying (or the reverse), or trouble with restricted digits → Lesson 1 (Counting Strategies and the Multiplicative Counting Principle).
  • Counting overlaps twice, or struggling with "at least one" → Lesson 2 (The Additive Counting Principle and Indirect Counting).
  • Factorial arithmetic, 0! = 1, or cancelling errors → Lesson 3 (Factorial Notation).
  • Not knowing when order matters, or P(n, r) errors → Lesson 4 (Permutations).
  • Forgetting the arrangements inside a block, or the gap method → Lesson 5 (Permutations with Conditions).
  • Repeated letters or repetition allowed → Lesson 6 (Permutations with Repetition and with Identical Objects).
  • Using P for teams and committees, or forgetting to divide by r! → Lesson 7 (Combinations).
  • Missing cases in "at least" problems, or card-hand counts → Lesson 8 (Combination Problems).
  • Choosing the wrong tool in mixed problems → Lesson 9 (Permutation or Combination?).
  • Pascal's identity, row sums or diagonals → Lesson 10 (Pascal's Triangle and Combinations).
  • Grid routes, checkpoints and blocked corners → Lesson 11 (Counting Routes on a Grid).
  • Binomial expansions, signs, or the general term → Lesson 12 (The Binomial Theorem).
  • With versus without replacement, or mixing ordered and unordered counts → Lesson 13 (Probability Using Counting).
  • Multi-step probability problems, samples and complements → Lesson 14 (Solving Probability Problems with Counting Principles).

Looking ahead: the next unit, Discrete Probability Distributions, uses C(n, r) in the binomial and hypergeometric distributions, so solid counting skills here pay off right away.