SOLUTION: What is the difference between permutations and Combinations?

Question 37905: What is the difference between permutations and Combinations?
Answer by Alwayscheerful(414) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The equation for permutations is
Permutations (compared to combinations) will give you a larger number, which means more combinations.
One example when you use permutations is this:
Say you have 5 chairs lined up in a row. There are 7 kids. How many combinations of kids are there?
You would use permuations because the order of the seating arrangement matters.
Tom, Jerry, Ralph, Jim, and Tony as a group will be different than Jerry, Tom, Jim, Tony, and Ralph.
The equation for combinations is
One common example when you use combinations is when you are electing people to be on a commitee.
Say there are 10 kids running for 3 spots. How many different committees can there be?
For this, the order doesn't matter, because a committee of Tom, Jerry, and Ralph will be the same as a committee of Jerry, Ralph, and Tom.

If the order of the group matters, use permuations. If the order of the group doesn't matter, use combinations.
Hope this helps!
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