Question 156465
Hi, Hope I can help
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I need help learning factorials permutations
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Factorials are given by the sign !
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(examples of factorials, 8!, 6!, 12!, 4! )
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Factorials use multiplication, (examples, 8! = {{{ 8(7)(6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1) }}}, 5! = {{{ 5(4)(3)(2)(1) }}} )(whatever the number, you multiply that number by the numbers before it,(until you get to "1")
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45! = (45)(44)(43)(42)(41)(40)(39)(38) ... (25)(24)(23)(22) ... (6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1), ( you multiply 45 by the numbers before it
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numbers (1 - 44))
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0! always equals "1", {{{ 0! = 1 }}}
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Permutation is "how many ways can several things be arranged"
Now lets look at the permutation formula, Permutation formula = {{{ n!/(n-r)! }}}
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"n" = total choices, "r" = how many are taken at a time
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It would be written as P(n,r), It is read as, Permutation, "n" things taken "r" at a time
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Lets do some examples, 
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P(5,5), It is saying, "How many ways can 5 things be arranged if they are taken 5 at a time
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Since, P(n,r), we are trying to find, P(5,5), just replace "n" with "5", "r" with "5" in our equation
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{{{ n!/(n-r)! }}} = {{{ (5)!/((5)-(5))! }}} = {{{ (5)!/(0)! }}} = {{{ 5!/0! }}}
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Now just multiply(remember, multiply that number by the numbers before it, until you hit "1")(remember that 0! = 1)
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{{{ 5!/0! }}} = {{{ (5(4)(3)(2)(1))/1 }}} = {{{ (5(4)(3)(2)(1))/1 }}} = {{{ 120/1 }}} = {{{ 120 }}}
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Let's do another one
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How many different ways can 10 different color paint cans, be arranged if they are taken 4 at a time
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Since "n" = total number of choices, "r" = how many things taken at a time
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It would be put like , P(n,r),P(10,4), replace "n" and "r" with (10)(n) and (4)(r) in equation
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{{{ n!/(n-r)! }}} = {{{ (10)!/((10)-(4))! }}} = {{{ (10)!/(6)! }}} = {{{ 10!/6! }}}
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If we expand the factorials, we get {{{ 10!/6! }}} = {{{ (10(9)(8)(7)(6)(5)(4)(3)(2)(1))/(6(5)(4)(3)(2)(1)) }}} = {{{ 3628800/720 }}} = {{{ 5040 }}}
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The paint cans can be put in 5,040 different ways
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This formula is used only if the "objects are all different", there is another formula for "some objects that are the same", but I won't go into that, because you probably aren't doing that yet( if you need any more help just send another problem, and I will help answer the question)
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Hope I helped, Levi