MATH 106/112

Lecture 1
Introduction to Combinatorics

m j winter, FS2004

An Exciting Afternoon around Wells Hall

Lunch at Crossroads
Panda Express
Wendys
Taco Bell
Do Homework
Study in Math library
work in computer lab
How many possible ways to spend the afternoon?

Use a tree to list them all

Start with lunch, then study
library
comp lab
Panda
library

start

Wendys

Taco Bell

comp lab
library
comp lab

6 = 3.2

`6 different ways

Add a Latte - 2
Coffee Shops: Espresso Royal, Starbucks, Caffe
Latte, Blue Moon
3 Decisions Now
6.4 = 24
3.2.4 = 24
3
food

work

coffee
4

The Fundamental Principle of Counting

To calculate the total number of possible outcomes
for a sequence of decisions
Make a box for each decision
Enter number of choices in each box
Multiply

Using Fundamental Principal of Counting

Hamburgers
Hamburgers: ketchup, relish, onions, lettuce, tomato
slice,cheese (American or Swiss), mushrooms. How
many different burgers?

Use dashes instead of boxes

2
2
2
2
2
3
2
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
ketchup relish

lettuce

onions tomato cheese mushrooms

26*3 = 192 different burgers

6

Arrangements

Books: Six different textbooks. How many ways to

put on a shelf?
6
5
4
3
2
1
___
____
___
___
___
___
6 5 4 3 2 1 = 6! = 720
How many different arrangements of 7 books?
7! = 5040
7

Factorials
n! = n (n - 1) (n - 2) ... 1

4! = 24
5!
= 20
3!
5!
= 10
3!2!

0! = 1

This is a convention

10!
7!
10!
7!3!
8!
2!3!
8

Factorials
n! = n (n - 1) (n - 2) ... 1

4! = 24
5!
= 20
3!
5!
= 10
3!2!

0! = 1

This is a convention

10! 10 9 8 7!
=
= 720
7!
7!
10! 720
=
= 120
7!3! 3 2
8!
= 3360
2!3!
9

3-digit numbers
How many 3-digit numbers?
10 10 10
103 = 1000
How many 3-digit numbers with all digits distinct?
10 9 8
10*9*8 = 720
How many 3-digit numbers made from 2 different digits?
Start with all 1000 numbers; discard those that dont fit.

1000 720 (numbers of the form 444)

1000 720 10 = 270
10

License Plates
Two Letters, followed by 4 digits.
2 letters

4 digits

11

License Plates
Two Letters, followed by 4 digits.
2 letters
26.26 = 676

10.10.10.10 = 10000

6,760,000
Texas: Lone Star State
CAPITAL: Austin
JOINED UNION: December 29, 1845
STATE BIRD: Mockingbird
STATE FLOWER: Bluebonnet
MEANING OF STATE NAME: Based on
a word used by Caddo Indians meaning
"friends"
1992 POPULATION: 17,655,650
RANK FOR POPULATION: 3

12

Problem 1 dinners
Soups

Plates

Desserts

tomato
bean
chicken noodle
cheddar cheese
Manhattan clam chowder

spaghetti & mb
pork chops
lamb chops
roast beef
eggplant parm
fried fish

apple pie

How many 3-course meals are possible?

choc.cake

5*6*2 = 60

How many 3-course meals with at most one dish with tomatoes?
No tomatoes: 3*4*2 = 24
Total = 52
tomatoes in soup: 2*4*2 = 16
tomatoes in plate: 3*2*2 = 12

13

4-letter alphabet
Using symbols
How many words of at most 3 symbols?
This time, the case no symbols is not a possibility!
One symbol
4

Two symbols
4*4 = 16

Three symbols
4*4*4 = 64

Answer: 4 + 16 + 64 = 84

14

Things to bear in mind when doing

problems

Ask yourself: How can this happen?

There are often several cases.
Be careful to distinguish among at
least, at most, no more than, etc.

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