Basharat Mubashir Ahmed

Topic: Factorials and Permutation

Combinations
 Factorials

In mathematics, the factorial of a positive integer n, denoted by n!, is the product of all positive
integers less than or equal to n:
𝑛! = 𝑛𝑥 𝑛 − 1 𝑥 𝑛 − 2 𝑥 𝑛 − 3 … … … … . 𝑥3𝑥2𝑥1
For example :
5! = 5𝑥4𝑥3𝑥2𝑥1
Now, note that : 4! = 4𝑥3𝑥2𝑥1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 3! = 3𝑥2𝑥1
We observe a very important pattern now :

5! = 5𝑥4𝑥3𝑥2𝑥1
= 5𝑥4!
= 5𝑥4𝑥3!
And so on.
From which we can generalise that 𝑛! = 𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 − 1 !

This property is very useful in solving many problems relating to factorials.

• Factorial of a negative number is not defined.
• The factorial of 0 is 1, or in symbols, 0! = 1
 Illustrative questions on factorials:

Simplify the following expressions:

4!
1. 0!
2. 2! + 3!
6!
3. 2!𝑥 4!
𝑛+2 !
4. 𝑛!
𝑛−1 !
5. 𝑛+1 !
𝑛!
6. 𝑛−𝑟 !
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑛 = 9 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟 = 5

Solve the following for “n” :

1 1 𝑛
1. 8! + 9! = 10!
2. 𝑛 + 1 ! = 12 𝑛 − 1 !
 Some interesting problems on factorials :

 The remainder when

(1! + 2! + 3! + 4! + 5! +…………15!) is divided by 12 will be ?

 The value of the following expression will be :

1x1! + 2x2! +3x3!+ 4x4!+………………………..99x99!
 Introduction to the fundamental principal of counting:

Let us revisit our childhood and think of a common situation we all have faced. We have to go to school and we have 2 school
bags, one red in color and one blue. We also have three pencil boxes to choose from. The question is that in how many different
ways can we carry the objects to school choosing one each?

Now, as we have two school bags, we have 2 choices for the school bag. Also, we have three choices for a pencil box.
We have the following cases :
Let the school bags be represented by 𝑆1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑙 𝑏𝑜𝑥𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝐵1 , 𝐵2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵3

Case 1: With the school bag 𝑆1 we can take either of the three boxes, that is .
𝑆1 𝐵1 or 𝑆1 𝐵2 𝑜𝑟𝑆1 𝐵3

Case 2: With the school bag 𝑆2 we can take either of the three boxes, that is .
𝑆2 𝐵1 or 𝑆2 𝐵2 𝑜𝑟𝑆2 𝐵3

Thus, we have 6 different ways to make a selection.

The answer can also be reached in the following manner:

We have 2 choices for a school bag and 3 choices for a pencil boxes.
So, the number of ways in which we can carry the object to school choosing one each is 2x3=6
 Statement of the fundamental principle of counting:

If an event can occur in 𝑚 different ways and when it has occurred, a second event can occur in 𝑛 different ways ,
following which a third event can occur in 𝑝 different ways and so on. Then the number of different ways of
occurrence of all the event is : 𝑚𝑥𝑛𝑥𝑝 … … … … … …

The previous problem can be solved directly using the principle of counting as :
We have 2 choices for a school bag and 3 choices for a pencil boxes.
So, the number of ways in which we can carry the object to school choosing one each is 2x3=6
 Illustrative problems on the principle of fundamental counting

1. We wish to go from Delhi to Manali for a vacation. For travelling we can use either car , bus , train or air. In how many ways
can we make a journey from Delhi to Manali and back to Delhi?
Suppose we are a little choosy and do not wish to return back by the same mode of transport. Now how many ways of
making this journey is possible?

2.Suppose three friends A, B and C enter a general compartment of a train where there are 5 vacant seats. In how many ways
can they seat themselves?

3.5 friends are travelling in a car and two of them do not know driving. In how many ways can the 5 persons sit in the car , if 2
people are to sit on the front seat (including the driver) and 3 of them in the back seat?

4. How many 3 digit even numbers can be formed from the digits 1,2,3,4,56 if the digits of the numbers CANNOT be
repeated?

5. In how many ways can 5 different balls be distributed among 3 boxes?

 Permutation

Suppose we have three alphabets a, b and c. We need to find the number of arrangements which can be made from these
letters by choosing two at a time.

The possible arrangements will be :

𝑎𝑏, 𝑏𝑎, 𝑎𝑐, 𝑐𝑎, 𝑏𝑐, 𝑐𝑏
This is called the permutation of 3 different objects taking 2 at a time also denoted by :
3𝑃2
Thus, permutation is defined as the number of arrangements which can be made by taking some or all of the number of
objects.

It is important to note that in permutations, the order is important, that is ab, bc are taken separately. This is the key
difference between permutation and combination.

𝑛!
The value of ⁿ𝑃𝑟 = 𝑛−𝑟 !
 Basic introductory problems on the notation ⁿ𝑷𝒓

1. Find the value of 60P2

2. Find the value of n if:

i)ⁿ𝑃5 = 42 ⁿ𝑃3
ii)ⁿ+1 𝑃3 = ⁿ𝑃4
 Questions using the concepts of Permutation:

1. How many 4 letter words with or without meaning can be formed out of the letters of the word WONDER if repetition of
letters is not allowed?
2. In how many ways can 4 books on Mathematics and 3 books on English be placed together on a shelf such that books of
the same subject are ALWAYS together?
 Combination

Let us take the same case taken before in Permutations. We have three alphabets a, b and c. We need to find the number of
selections which can be made from the 3 letters by taking 2 at a time.
The following selections are possible:
𝑎𝑏, 𝑏𝑐, 𝑐𝑎
Note that here, ab, ba refer to the same selection as they both contain the same alphabets.
Thus, the order of the objects is not important in combinations.
This is mathematically represented by 3𝐶2, that is , the number of selections made from 3 objects taking 2 at a time.

Each of the group or selections which can be made by taking some or all of a number of objects WITHOUT REFERENCE to the
order of objects in each group is called combination.

𝑛!
The value of ⁿ𝐶𝑟 = 𝑟! 𝑛−𝑟 !
 Important relations involving the ⁿ𝑪𝒓 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒃𝒐𝒍

1. ⁿ𝐶𝑛 = 1
2. ⁿ𝐶𝑟 = ⁿ𝐶𝑛−𝑟
3. If ⁿ𝐶𝑎 = ⁿ𝐶𝑏 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 ∶
i) a=b
OR
ii)n=a+b
4. ⁿ𝐶𝑟 + ⁿ𝐶𝑟−1 = ⁿ+1 𝐶𝑟