Organized Counting

Combinatorics
- is a branch of math dealing with ideas and methods for counting, especially in complex situations.
When making a series of choices, you can determine the total number of possibilities without actually counting each one individually.

Example:
Mark travels from Hamilton to Calgary and notices that he has three choices, Train, Bus, Plane. From Calgary, he wants to get to Dallas via a plane and has 3 choices. To get back to Hamilton he has two choices. How many ways can he go from Hamilton to Hamilton in a complete route? First portion of trip 3 Second portion 3 Third portion 2 Total number 3 x 3 x 2 = 18 We can draw a Tree diagram to illustrate this

There are 18 Possible Choices for Mark

A fast food restaurant has a menu that you get to choose your food. You get five choices of drinks, four sizes of fries and 7 different burgers. How many choices are there?

5 x 4 x 7 = 140 choices

Fundamental Counting Principle

If a task is made of stages with separate choices, the total number of choices is m x n x p x o x q ,
where m is the number of choices for the first stage, n is the number of choices for the second stage, and so on for m choices, n choices, o choices etc

This illustrates counting problems called fundamental or multiplicative counting principles (Rule of Product).

Fundamental Counting Principle

Suppose you are going to buy a new computer. There are 2 parts: The processor and the monitor.
Processor: Intel, AMD, or IBM Monitor: CRT or flatscreen How many different combinations can you get?

Fundamental Counting Principle

Suppose you are going to buy a new stereo.
Receivers: 5 types CD players: 3 types Speakers: 2 types How many different combinations can be created?

Indirect Method
Sometimes, certain limitations are placed on the count.
Depending upon the situation, the indirect method may be a more effective way to determine the total number of combinations. The indirect method is used throughout the course

Indirect Method: Jen has a dresser with four pairs of different coloured socks. In how many ways can she pull out two unmatched socks one after the other? Find the answer by subtracting the number of ways of picking matched ones from the number of ways of picking two socks

There are eight possibilities when Jen pulls out the first sock, but only seven when she pulls out the second sock. By the counting principle, the number of ways Jen can pick any two socks out of the bag is 8 x 7 = 56.

She could pick each of the matched pairs in two ways: left sock then right sock or right sock then left sock. Therefore, there are 4 x 2 = 8 ways of picking a matched pair.

The indirect method:

# of possible outcomes # of unsuccessful outcomes = # of successful outcomes Therefore the total # of ways Jen can pull out two unmatched socks one after the other is 56 8 = 48 ways.

Additive Counting Principle (Rule of Sum)

If the conditions for selection are allowed to change during the count, then the problem must be broken up into mutually exclusive actions. Mutually exclusive actions are actions that cannot occur at the same time. If one mutually exclusive action can occur in m ways, a second mutually exclusive action in n ways, a third mutually exclusive action in p ways, and so on, then there are m + n + p + total ways for the conditions to be met.

A meal combo in the school cafeteria allows a student to choose one entree (sandwich, pasta or burger) and either a soup (tomato, bean or vegetable) or a dessert (ice cream or fruit cup). How many different meal combinations are there? You cannot have soup and dessert at the same time, so these events are considered mutually exclusive. Case 1: Meal w/ Soup # of entrees x # of soups Case 2: Meal w/ Dessert # of entrees x # of desserts

=3x3

=3x2

Total number of meal combinations = 9 + 6 = 15

Sailing ships use sails to send signals. How many possible signals are there with a set of four distinct flags if a minimum of two flags is used for each signal? Minimum 2 flags: # of 2 flags + # of 3 flags + # of 4 flags

4 x 3 choices = 12 Signal with two flags

4 x 3 x 2 choices = 24 Signal with three flags 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 choices = 24 Signal with four flags Total number of signals = 60 possible signals

If you choose from m items of one type and n items of another, there are n x m ways to choose one item of each type (multiplicative counting principle)

M relates to n. You have to do m before n.

If you choose from either m items of one type or n items of another type, then the total number of ways you can choose an item is n + m (additive counting principle) M doesnt relate to n in this case, and they dont occur at the same time (mutually exclusive).