Class 8

Permutations & Combinations MaxGMAT

Examples

1. Six flights are scheduled from city A to B and then back from B to A. In how many ways
a person can go to B from A and then return to A if he doesn’t takes the same flight
for his return journey.
(A) 30 (B) 40 (C) 36 (D) 20 (E) 24

Solution
The person can go from A to B in six ways. For the return journey be cannot take the
same flight thus he can return in five ways.
Therefore, the total number of ways = 6 × 5 = 30. Hence, (A).

2. How many three digit numbers can be made out of all the numbers from 1 to 9 without
repeating any number?
(A) 4 0 5 (B) 5 0 4 (C) 84 (D) 9 6 3 (E) 3 6 4

Solution
There are total 9 numbers, i.e., n = 9. One is supposed to select 3 numbers and form
a there digit number, i.e., r = 3.

9
9!
∴ The total numbers which can be formed = p3 = = 504
6!
9
Alternatively, 3 numbers can be selected out of 9 in C3 ways.
Now the selected three numbers can be arranged in 3! ways.
∴ Total ways = 3! × 9C3 = 504. Hence, (B).

3. In how many ways can the letters of the word “COMPUTER” be arranged?
1] Without any restriction.
2] M must always occur at the third place.
3] All the vowels are together.
4] All the vowels are never together.
5] Vowels occupy the even positions.

Solution
There are total 8 letters with 3 vowels and 5 consonants.
1] 8
p8 ways = 8!
2] If M occurs at the third place then this position is fixed and the remaining seven letters
can be arranged.
∴ The number of ways = 7p7 = 7!
3] Let us treat all the vowels as a single letter so now there are 5 consonants + 1 group
of vowels which can be arranged in 3! among themselves.
∴ The number of ways in which the vowels are together = 6! 3!
4] The number of ways = 8!
The number of ways in which all the vowels are never together = 8! – 6! 3! = 50 × 6!
5] There are total 8 places and 4 even places. The first even place can be chosen in 3C1
ways and placed in 4 places in 4 ways. Similarly, the second vowel is chosen in 2C1 ways
and placed in the remaining 3 places in 3 ways. The last vowel is placed in 2 ways.
Thus, total ways to place the vowels = 3C1 × 4 × 2C1 × 3 × 2 = 144 ways.
∴ After placing the vowels the consonants can be arranged in 5! ways.
∴ Total ways = 144 × 5! = 144 × 5! = 144 × 120 = 17280

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4. In how many ways can the letters of the word “MISSISIPPI” be arranged?
(A) 1260 (B) 12000 (C) 12600 (D) 14800 (E) 26800

Solution
Total letters are n = 10. I = 4, S = 3, P = 2, M = 1

10!
The total number of ways = = 12600. Hence, (C).
4! 3! 2!

5. In how many ways a three digit number can be written using all the digits from 1 to
9 with repeatition of any digit?
(A) 3 9 (B) 9
C3 (C) 9P3 (D) 9 3 (E) 9!

Solution
The first digit can be selected in 9 ways. The second digit can also be selected in 9
ways and the same for the third digit.
∴ The total number of ways = 9 × 9 × 9 = 9 3 ways. Hence, (D).

6. In how many ways 5 people can sit around a circular table:

1] without any restriction.
2] one should not have the same neighbours in any two arrangements.

Solution
1] Fixing the position of one person the rest 4 can be arranged in 4! ways. Thus there
are 24 ways.
2] If a person cannot have the same neighbours in any two arrangement, but the clockwise
and anticlockwise arrangement results in that.
1
Thus the total number of ways are = × 4! = 12 ways.
2

7. In how many ways can a committe of 4 be formed out of 8 people?

(A) 1 4 0 (B) 60 (C) 70 (D) 72 (E) 42

Solution
8
The number of ways in which a committee of 4 can be selected out of 8 are C 4 ways.

8
8!
C4 = = 70 ways. Hence, (C).
4! 4!
8. There 6 questions in a question paper. In how many ways can a student solve one or
more questions?
(A) 6 (B) 12 (C) 63 (D) 64 (E) 65

Solution
The student can solve the question or he may not. Thus there are two ways associated
with each question. Hence for 6 questions there are 26 ways to deal with. But the boy
has to solve atleast are question. So he cannot leave all the questions. Thus the total
number of ways = 2 6 – 1 = 63.

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9. There are 4 copies of 5 different books. In how many ways can they be arranged on
a shelf?

20! 20! 20!

(A) (B) (C) (D) 20! (E) 5!
4! 5(4! ) (4! )5

Solution
Since there are 4 copies alike in each set of 5, the number of arrangements
20! 20!
= =
4! . 4! . 4! . 4! . 4! ( 4! )5

10. In how many ways a committee of 2 boys and 3 girls can be made out of 5 boys and
6 girls?
(A) 2400 (B) 4 0 0 (C) 3 0 0 (D) 2 0 0 (E) 1 0 0

Solution
5
Selecting 2 boys out of 5 can be done in C 2 ways.
6
Selecting 3 girls out of 6 can be done in C3 ways.

5 6
5! 6!
∴ Total number of ways = C2 × C3 =
2! 3! × 3! 3!
= 200 ways.

DIRECTIONS for Data Sufficiency questions: Each of the data sufficiency problems below
consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), in which certain data
are given. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient
for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements plus your knowledge
of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in July or the meaning
of counterclockwise), you are to blacken space.

(A) if statement (1) BY ITSELF is sufficient;

(B) if statement (2) BY ITSELF is sufficient;

(C) if statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are sufficient;

(D) if EITHER statement by ITSELF is sufficient;

(E) if (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT SUFFICIENT.

11. A committee of four is chosen from a group of seven children. Will at least one of the
girls be selected?
I. The group has 4 boys and 3 girls.
II. The group has 3 boys and 4 girls.

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 MaxGMAT

12. How many m digit numbers can be formed using n distinct digits?
I. m = 3 and n = 5
II. n = 2m

13. In how many ways can four people A, B, C and D be seated so that B and C are always
together?
I. A, B, C and D are to be seated in a row.
II. A, B, C and D are to be seated around a circular table.

14. How many triangles can be formed using 8 points in the given plane?
I. A triangle is formed by joining 3 distinct points in the plane.
II. Out of the 8 given points 3 are collinear.

n n
15. What is the value of Cr if the value of C3 = 56?
I. n – r = 3
II. r = 3

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 Class 8
Permutations & Combinations MaxGMAT
Class Test

Questions: 15 Time: 15 minutes

DIRECTIONS for Problem Solving questions: Solve each problem, using any available space
on the page for scratchwork. Then indicate the best of the answer choices given.

Numbers: All numbers used are real numbers.

Figures: Figures that accompany problems in this test are intended to provide information
useful in solving the problems. They are drawn as accurately as possible EXCEPT when
it is stated in a specific problem that its figure is not drawn to scale. All figures lie in
a plane unless otherwise indicated.

DIRECTIONS for Data Sufficiency questions: Each of the data sufficiency problems below
consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), in which certain data
are given. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient
for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements plus your knowledge
of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in July or the meaning
of counterclockwise), you are to blacken space.

(A) if statement (1) BY ITSELF is sufficient;

(B) if statement (2) BY ITSELF is sufficient;

(C) if statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are sufficient;

(D) if EITHER statement by ITSELF is sufficient;

(E) if (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT SUFFICIENT.

Numbers: All numbers used are real numbers.

Figures: A figure in a data sufficiency problem will conform to the information given in
the question, but will not necessarily conform to the additional information given in
statements (1) and (2).

You may assume that lines shown as straight are straight and that angle measures are
greater than zero.

You may assume that the position of points, angles, regions, etc., exist in the order shown.

All figures lie in a plane unless otherwise indicated.

Example: Explanation:
According to statement (1), PQ = PR; therefore, ∆ PQR
P is isosceles and y = z. Since x + y + z = 180,
o
x + 2y = 180. Since statement (1) does not give
x a value for y, you cannot answer the question using
statement (1) by itself. According to statement (2),
y = 40; therefore, x + z = 140. Since statement
y z (2) does not give a value for z, you cannot answer
o o

Q R the question using statement (2) by itself. Using

both statements together, you can find y and z;
In ∆ PQR, what is the value of x?
therefore, you can find x, and the answer to the
(1) PQ = PR
problem is C.
(2) y = 40

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1. In how many ways can 5 rings be worn on the four fingers of the right hand?
5
(A) 3 × 4 (B) C4 (C) 5P4 (D) 5 4 (E) 45

2. Mary has 7 roses, 8 lilies and 10 carnations. In how many ways can a bouquet be made
if she has to choose 3 roses, 5 lilies and 6 carnations?
7 8 10 25 7 8 10
(A) C3 × C6 × C5 (B) C14 (C) C3 × C5 × C6
15 10
(D) C9 × C5 (E) 3 × 5 × 6

3. Three Math books, four English books and four Reasoning books are kept on a shelf.
In how many ways they can be arranged. So that the books of each type are always
together?
11 11
(A) 11! (B) C3 (C) 40550 (D) 20736 (E) P3

4. How many 3 letter words can be constructed using all the 26 letters of the English alphabet
if only the middle letter of each word is a vowel?
(A) 2205 (B) 4 4 1 (C) 9261 (D) 2400 (E) 1 0 5

5. In how many ways can 5 identical black balls and 7 identical white balls be arranged
in a row so that no 2 black balls are together?
(A) 56 (B) 64 (C) 65 (D) 3 1 6 (E) 5 6 0

6. In how many ways can all the 7 sweets be distributed to three friends Jack, Jill and John
so that Jill always gets 2 sweets and each of them gets at least one sweet.
(A) 24 (B) 6 (C) 4 (D) 12 (E) 3

7. In how many ways can 4 men and 4 women sit at a round table with no two women
in consecutive positions?
(A) 24 (B) 72 (C) 2 8 8 (D) 1 4 4 (E) 48

8. In how many ways can one choose 6 cards from a normal deck of cards so as to have
all suits present?
(A) 13 4 × 48 × 47 (B) 13 4 × 24 × 47 (C) 48
C6
4 4 48
(D) 13 (E) 13 × C6

9. How many numbers greater than a thousand can be made using the following digits without
repitition: 1, 0, 3, 4 and 5?
(A) 96 2 (B) 96 × 2 (C) 5 7 6 (D) (24) 2 (E) 24 × 96

10. A mocktail has to be prepared from three kinds of whiskey, 4 kinds of soda and five kinds
of fruit juice. How many mocktails can be made taking at least one of each kind?
(A) 2 3 5 (B) 3 2 5 (C) 3255 (D) 5235 (E) 5 6 5

Tick guessed questions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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 MaxGMAT

25
11. What is the value of Cn ?
n n
I. C 4 = C8
n
II. C 11 = 12

12. Two prizes have to be given to a group of seven children of which four are girls and
3 are boys. In how many ways can the second prize can be given if the second prize
has to be given to one of the girls only after giving the first prize?
I. The first prize is always given to one of the boys.
II. One of the prizes must go to a boy.

13. How many three-digit numbers can be formed using four digits of the decimal system?
I. All the four digits are distinct.
II. None of the four digits is zero.

14. In how many ways can n distinct objects be arranged?

I. n = 5
II. Arrangement is linear.

15. In how many ways can distinct objects be arranged in a circle?

I. There are 8 objects.
II. The radius of the circle is 7 cm.

Tick guessed questions

11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

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 Class 8
Permutations & Combinations MaxGMAT
Class Test

Feedback Form

Score Sheet
A B C D E A B C D E

1 O O O O O 8 O O O O O

2 O O O O O 9 O O O O O

3 O O O O O 10 O O O O O

4 O O O O O 11 O O O O O

5 O O O O O 12 O O O O O

6 O O O O O 13 O O O O O

7 O O O O O 14 O O O O O

15 O O O O O

After completing the test and filling up the boxes below, tear off this strip and give it to your instructor.

Class 8
Permutations & Combinations
Class Test

Batch Enrolment No.

1. Total number of questions: 15 2. Number of questions attempted:

3. Correct answers: 4. Wrong answers: 5. Guessed answers:

 Class 8
Permutations & Combinations MaxGMAT
Answer Keys

SOLVED EXAMPLES

1-A 2-B 3-* 4-C 5-D 6-* 7-C 8-C

9-C 10-D 11-B 12-A 13-D 14-B 15-D

CLASS TEST

1-E 2-C 3-D 4-A 5-A 6-C 7-D 8-B

9-B 10-C 11-D 12-D 13-C 14-C 15-A