In a permutation, the ___________ matters
In a permutation, the ORDER matters
How many permutations are there of ABC?
Explain how this is a permutation question
What is the “Basic Permutation Formula”?
n = number of objects from which a choice can be made
k = number of objects that are to be chosen
Solve this question using the formula
Solve this question using the “box-and-fill”
How do you solve a permutation problem using the box-and-fill method?
Let each box represent a specific choice that must be made.
Multiply the numbers in each box.
In permutation problems count only the number of _________________ permutations
In permutation problems count only the number of DISTINGUISHABLE permutations
How many permutations are there of: [S, S, S, S, S]?
None!
[S, S, S, S, S]
The entire list has the same letter, thus even if put in another order it would not be distinguishable.
How would you solve a permutation problem for the list: [A, A, B, B] ?
[ A, A, B, B ]
What is the equation used to solve permutation problems that contains identical/ indistinguishable items?
N = total number of objects
r = frequency of each indistinguishable object
How would you solve a permutation problem for the list: [G, S, P, P, T] ?
What are “pathway questions”?
Need us to determine the total number of different paths one can take to travel from starting point to some destination
What is a “checkpoint”
While traveling from a starting point to a destination, a point that travelers MUST pass through
How would you tackle this?
Explain the steps.
Look in-between the checkpoint how many ways there are.
= Multiply these!
Solve:
Calculate for the top and bottom, and then add them
Conceptually, how would you solve this:
Understand that in whatever way you travel, you have to go South 4 times, and East 3 times.
So, the problem becomes: “In how many ways can we arrange 4 S’ and 3 E’s ?
Solve this
[ S, S, S, S, E, E, E ]
Conceptually, explain how you would solve this:
Find the number of ways you can travel from Y to C,
Find the number of ways you can travel from C to X,
Multiply the two values for TOTAL
How would you solve this?
Exact same way as solving a two-dimensional problem,
Just add ANOTHER length
What is the circle permutation formula?
Solve:
k = 6
Solve:
What should you do if some items have to be together in a permutation problem (eg. always stand next to each other)?
LINK the items together!
Example: If A, J, S, M and T have to be arranged in a line, how many ways can this be done if J and S always have to stand together?
= Just consider J and S, a single item! LINK them!
HOWEVER, also watch out as there are two ways of linking them,
either JS, or SJ.
You have to account for this