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UNIT II COMBINATORICS

2.6 COMBINATIONS

I II

20BSMA204
DISCRETE STRUCTURES
(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

COMBINATION:
An r-combination of elements of a set is an unordered selection of r elements from
the set.
Theorem :
The number of r - combinations of a set with n elements, where n is a nonnegative
integer and r is an integer with 0 ≤ r ≤ n, is C(n, r) or nCr.

C(n, r) =
Note: Let n and r be nonnegative integers with r ≤ n. Then
C(n, r) = C(n, n − r).
Note : The r-combinations from a set with n elements when repetition of elements is
allowed is C(n + r −1, r)
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

1)How many poker hands of five cards can be dealt from a standard deck of 52
cards? Also, how many ways are there to select 47 cards from a standard deck of
52 cards?
Solution:
Because the order in which the five cards are dealt from a deck of 52 cards
does not matter, there are
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

2)How many ways are there to select five players from a 10-member
tennis team to make a trip to a match at another school?
Solution:
The number of 5 - combinations of a set with 10 elements. Hence, the number of
such combinations is

C(10, 5) =

3)How many bit strings of length n contain exactly r 1s?

Solution:
The positions of r 1’s in a bit string of length n form an r-combination
of the set {1, 2, 3, ..., n}. Hence, there are C(n, r) bit strings of length n
that contain exactly r 1’s.
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

4) Suppose that there are 9 faculty members in the mathematics

department and 11 in the computer science department. How many
ways are there to select a committee to develop a discrete mathematics
course at a school if the committee is to consist of three faculty members
from the mathematics department and four from the
computer science department?
Solution:
By the product rule, the answer is the product of the number of 3-combinations
of a set with nine elements and the number of 4-combinations of a set
with 11 elements.
Hence, the number of ways to select the committee is
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

5)A coin is tossed 10 times where each toss comes up with a head or tail.
How many possible outcomes contain at least 3 tails?
Solution:
Number of ways = 10C0 +10C1 + 10C2 + 10C 3

=176

6) In an examination a minimum is to be secured in each of 8 subjects for a pass.

In how many ways can a student fail?
Solution:
Number of ways = 8C1 +8C2 +8C 3 +…..+8C8
= 28 -1 = 255
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

7)Find the number of non-negative integer solutions of the

equation x1 + x2 + x3 = 11.
Solution :
The number of solutions
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

8) There are six men and five women in a room. Find the number of ways four
persons can be drawn from the room if (1) they can be male or female, (2) two
must be men and two women, (3) they must all are of the same sex.
Solution:
1) Number of ways selecting 4 persons can be chosen from (6+5) persons is

2) Number of ways selecting 4 persons(2 men and 2 women)

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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

3) Number of ways selecting 4 persons and all are of the same sex

9) From a club consisting of 6 men and 7 women, in how many ways can we select
a committee of
a) 3 men and 4 women?
b) 4 persons which has at least one woman?
c) 4 persons that has at most one man?
d) 4 persons that has persons of both sexes?
e) 4 persons so that two specific members are not included?
Solution:
a) 3 men can be selected from 6 men in C(6,3) ways
4 women can be selected from 7 women in C(7,4) ways.
Hence the committee of 3 men and 4 women can be selected in C(6,3).C(7,4) ways
= 700 ways
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
b) For the committee to have at least one woman, we have to select 3 men and one
woman or 2 men and 2 women or 1 man and 3 women or no man and 4 women.
This selection can be done in
C(6,3).C(7,1) + C(6,2).C(7,2) + C(6,1).C(7,3) + C(6,0).C(7,4)
= 140+315+210+35
= 700 ways

c) For the committee to have at most one man, we have to select no man and 4 woman
or 1 man and 3 women or 1 man and 3 women or no man and 4 women.
This selection can be done in
C(6,0).C(7,4) + C(6,1).C(7,3)
= 35+210 = 245 ways.

d) For the committee to have persons of both sexes, the selection must include 1 man 3
women, 2 men and 2 women or 3 men and 1 woman .
This selection can be done in
C(6,1).C(7,3) + C(6,2).C(7,2) + C(6,3).C(7,1)
= 210+315+140 = 665 ways.
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

e)First let us find the number of selections that contain the two specific members. After
removing these two members ,2 members can be selected from the remaining 11
members in C(11,2) ways. In each of these selections ,if we include those specific
members removed ,we get C(11,2) selections containing the two members
The number of selections not including these 2 members
= C(13,4) – C(11,2)
= 715 – 55 = 660 ways

10) In how many ways can 20 students out of a class of 30 be selected for an
extra –curricular activity if
a) Ram refused to be selected?
b) Raja insists on being selected?
c) Gopal and Govind insist on being selected?
d) Either Gopal or Govind or both get selected?
e) Just one of Gopal and Govind gets selected?
f) Rama and Raja refuse to be selected together?
Solution:
a) We first exclude Rama and then select 20 students from the remaining 29 students.
Hence the number of ways = C(29,20) = 1,00,15,005
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
b) We separate Raja from the class ,select 19 students from 29 and then include Raja
in the selections.
Hence the number of ways = C(29,19) = 2,00,30,010

c) We separate Gopal and Govind, select 18 students from 28 and then include both
of them in the selections.
Hence the number of ways = C(28,18) = 1,31,23,110

d) Number of selections which include Gopal = C(29,19)

Number of selections which include Govind = C(29,19)
Number of selections which include both = C(28,18)
Hence the required number of selections = C(29,19) + C(29,19) -- C(28,18)
= 2,69,36,910

e) Number of selections including either Gopal or Govind

= Number of selections including either Gopal or Govind or both
-- Number of selections including both
= [C(29,19) + C(29,19) -- C(28,18)] -- C(28,18)
= 2,69,36,910 – 1,31,23,110
= 1,38,13,800
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
f) Number of ways of selecting 20 excluding Rama and Raja together
= Total number of selections – Number of selections including both Rama and Raja
= C(30,20) – C(28,18)
= 3,00,45,015 – 1,31,23,110
= 1,69,21,905

11) There are 3 piles of identical red, blue and green balls, where each pile
contains at least 10 balls. In how many ways can 10 balls be selected?
a) If there is no restriction?
b) If at least one red ball must be selected?
c) If at least one red ball, at least 2 blue balls and at least 3 green balls must be
selected?
d) If exactly one red ball must be selected?
e) If exactly one red ball and at least one blue ball must be selected?
f) If at most one red ball is selected?
g) If twice as many red balls as green balls must be selected?
Solution:
a) There are n = 3 kinds of balls and we have r = 10 balls, when repetitions are allowed.
Number of ways of selecting = C(n+r-1,r) = C(12,10) = 66
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
b) We take one red ball and keep it aside. Then we have to select 9 balls from the 3
kinds of balls and include the first red ball in the selections.
Hence the number of ways of selecting = C (11,9) = 55

c) We take away 1 red,2 blue and 3 green balls and keep them aside. Then we select 4
balls from the 3 kinds of balls and include the 6 already chosen balls in each selection.
Hence the number of ways of selecting = C (11+4 -1,4) = 15.

d) We select 9 balls from the piles containing blue and green balls and include one red
ball in each selection.
Hence the number of ways of selecting = C (2+9-1,9) = 10
e) We take away one red ball and one blue ball and keep them aside. Then we select 8
balls from the blue and green piles and include the already reserved red and blue balls
to each selection.
Hence the number of ways of selecting = C (2+8-1,8) = 9
f) The selection must contain no red ball or 1 red ball.
Hence the number of ways of selecting = C(2+10-1,10) + C(2+9-1,9)
= 11+10 = 21
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
g) The selections must contain 0 red and 0 green balls or 2 red and 1 green balls
or 4 red and 2 green balls or 6 red and 3 green balls.
= C(1+10-1,10) + C(1+7-1,7) + C(1+4-1,4) + C(1+1-1,1) = 1+1+1+1 = 4
12) Determine the number of integer solutions of the equation

Solution:
a) One solution of the equation is

Another solution is

These two solutions are considered different, even though the same integer 15,10,7,0
are used. The first solution can be interpreted as follows:
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)
We have 32 identical chocolates and are distributing them among 4 distinct children. We
have given 15,10,7 and 0 chocolates to the first, second, third and fourth child
respectively.
Thus, each non-negative solution of the equation corresponding to a selection of 32
identical items from 4 distinct sets, repetitions allowed.
Hence, the number of solutions = C(4+32-1,32)
= C(35,32) = 6545.

b) Now

Then the given equation becomes

for which the number of non- negative integer solutions is required .

The required number = C(4+28-1,28)
= C(31,28) = 4495
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

c) Putting

the equation becomes

The require number of solutions = C(4+8-1,8)
= C (11,8) = 165

d) Number of solutions such that

= Number of solutions such that -- number of solutions

such that

= a – b ( say)
From part (b) a = 4495

To find b, we put

The equation becomes

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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

We have to get the solution satisfying

Therefore b = C(4+3-1,3)
= C(6,3) = 20
Required number of solutions = 4495 – 20 = 4475

13) Find the number of non-negative integer solutions of the inequality

Solution:
We convert the inequality in to an equality by introducing an auxiliary

variable

Thus we get
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

Putting

The equation becomes

Required number of solutions = C(7+9-1,9) =C(15,9) = 5005.

14) How many positive integers less than 10,00,000 have the sum of their digits
equal to 19?
Solution:
Any positive integer les than 10,00,000 will have a maximum of 6 digits. We denote

them by , the problem reduces to one of finding the number of

solutions of the equation

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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

There are C(6+19-1) = C(24,5) solutions if

We note that one of the six ‘ s can be ≥ 10, but not more than one, as the sum of the

‘s = 19

Let and let

Then the equation becomes

There are C(6+9-1,9) = C(14,5) solutions for this equations.
The digit which is ≥ 10 can be chosen in 6 ways .Hence the number of solutions of the

equation where any one is 6.C(14,5)

Hence the required number of solutions of (1)
= C(24,5) – 6.C(14,5)
= 42,504 - 6. 2002
= 30,492
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

15) 5 balls are to be placed in 3 boxes. Each can hold all the 5 balls. In how many
different ways can we place the balls so that no box is left empty, if
a) balls and boxes are different?
b) balls are identical and boxes are different?
c) balls are different and boxes are identical?
d)balls as well as boxes are different?
Solution:
a) 5 balls can be distributed such that the first, second, and third boxes contain
1,1, and 3 ball respectively.
Hence the number of ways of distributing =

Similarly the boxes 1,2 and 3 may contain 1,3 and 1 balls respectively or 3,1 and 1
balls respectively.
Hence the number ways of distributing in each of these manners = 20
Again the boxes 1,2, and 3 may contain 1,2,2 balls respectively or 2,1,2 balls
respectively.
Hence the number of ways of distributing in each of these manners =
Total number of ways = 20+20+20+30+30+30 = 150
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DISCRETE STRUCTURES(COMMON TO AI&DS,CSE & IT)

b) Total number of ways of distribution r identical balls in n different boxes is the same
as the no of r-combinations of n items, repetitions allowed.
It is = C(n+r-1,r) = C(3+2-1,2) = 6 since 3 balls must be first put, one in each of 3 boxes
and the remaining 2 balls must be distributed in 3 boxes.

c) When the boxes are identical, the distributions of 1,1,3 balls,1,3,1 balls and 3,1,1
balls considered in (a) will be treated as identical distributions. Thus there are 20 ways
of distributing 1 ball in each of any two boxes and 3 balls in the third box.
Similarly, there are 30 ways of distributing 1 ball in each of any two boxes and 3 balls in
the third box.
No of required ways = 20 + 30 = 50

d)By an argument similar to that given in (c) we get from the answer in (b) that the
required no of ways = 6/3 =2

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