10

Mathematics
Quarter 3 – Module 3
Combination
Illustrating Combination of Objects,
Differentiating Permutation From Combination of N Objects
Taken r at a Time, Solving Problems Involving Permutation and
Combination

CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
Mathematics – Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 – Module 3 :Combination
First Edition, 2020

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10
Mathematics
Quarter 3 – Module 3
Combination
 Illustrating Combination of Objects,
Differentiating Permutation From Combination of
N Objects Taken r at a Time, Solving Problems
Involving Permutation and Combination

Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions,
directions, exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand
each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each

SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self
check your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust
that you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they
can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any
part of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and
tests. And read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering
the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
understand the concept of combination.

The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning

situations. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course
but the pacing in which you read and comprehend the contents and answer the
exercises in this module will depend on your ability.
After going through this module, you are expected to demonstrate
understanding of key concepts on combination. Specifically, you should be able to:

1) define combination of n objects taken r at a time,

2) differentiate permutation from combination,
3) solve problems involving permutation and combination.

What I Know

You are task to answer the following questions before you proceed to
the lesson. Do not worry, I only want to know how knowledgeable
are you with the topics that we will be discussing in this module.

DIRECTION: Read and analyze each item carefully. Write the letter of the correct
answer on the blank provided before each number.

_____ 1. Which of the following determines the number of possible groups of a

collection of items where the order of the elements does not matter?

A. FCP B. Permutation C. Combination D. Probability

_____ 2. Which of the following requires combination?

A. Entering the PIN of your ATM card.
B. Arranging three people to pose for a picture.
C. Choosing 3 of your friends to attend to your birthday party.
D. Forming 3-digit numbers from the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ad 7.

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
_____ 3. Selecting two representatives from 8 candidates requires ______. A.
 FCP B. Permutation C. Combination D. Probability

_____ 4. The number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time is defined by the

expression _____.

��! ��!
A. ��! B.
��!
(��−��)!��! C.
(��−��)��! D. ��!

_____ 5. Evaluate: 12��4.

A. 220 B. 495 C. 11,880 D. 49,500

_____ 6. How many straight lines can be drawn using the 7 points X, Y, Z, M, N, O,
and P, such that no three points are collinear?

A. 0 B. 7 C. 21 D. 35

_____ 7. In a classroom, there are 10 male students, 12 female students, and

7 teachers. In how many ways can 3 male students, 7 female
students, and 5 teachers be chosen?

A. 933,942 B. 1,995,840 C. 3,994,920 D. 77,558,760 _____ 8. How

many diagonals does a pentagon have?

A. 2 B. 3 C. 5 D. 10

For items 9 – 12. A group of 6 women and 9 men must select a six-person
committee. How many committees are possible if each committee must consist of
the following:

_____ 9. equal number of men and women?

A. 104 B. 540 C. 1,680 D. 1,890

_____ 10. at most 4 women?

A. 2,220 B. 4,110 C. 4,866 D. 4,950

_____ 11. no women?

A. 84 B. 1,890 C. 5,005 D. 60,480

_____ 12. minimum of 4 men?

A. 1,890 B. 2,646 C. 2,703 D. 2,730

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
_____ 13. Nine dots are randomly placed on a circle, how many triangles can
be formed using the dots as the vertices?

A. 9 B. 36 C. 56 D. 84
_____ 14. There are 8 baseball teams during the 2019 CARAA. How many
games must be played in order for each team to play every other
team exactly once?

A. 16 B. 28 C. 56 D. 70

_____ 15. Thirteen participants for a conference were to shake hands and
introduce themselves with each other. How many handshakes
have taken place?

A. 13! B. 66 C. 78 D. 286

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3

Lesso Combination of n Objects

n 1 Taken r at a Time
 What’s In
Let’s review our previous lesson on permutation by answering the
following activity:

Activity 1

A) Fill in the blanks with words or expressions that will best complete the
statements below.

The number of possible arrangements of objects/elements in a set

when order matters is called __________. It is denoted by the

expression __________ and is read as

“____________________________________________________.”

B) Match each case of permutations of ‘n’ objects from a set of ‘n’ distinct
objects on the left to its corresponding permutation notation on the right.
Write the correct answer on the space provided before each number.

Cases Permutation Notation

____1. Permutation of n objects taken r at a time A) P = (n–1)!

____2. Permutation of n objects taken n at a time

B) nPr =��! (��−��)!
____3. Permutation with identical objects (�� −1)!
C) P = 2

____4. Permutation of n distinct objects arranged

in a circle D) nPn = n!

��!
____5. Permutation of n different objects around E) P = ��1!��2!…����!
a key ring
F) P = n!

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3

What’s New
Since you know already how to list down possible arrangement
of objects,
I think you are ready for the activity below.

Activity 2
Consider the following problems:
1. Using the digits 1, 2, and 3, how 2. Three Players were numbered
 many two-digit numbers can be as 1, 2, and 3. How many teams of
formed if repetition is not allowed? two players can be formed?
List down all the possible numbers List down all possible teams of
below. two players below.

What is It

What can you say about the given situations on Activity 2? Are
they the same? Why? or Why not?
1) 2) {-3, -2, 2}
Let us process the problems given in Activity 2.
3) (x - 1)2 (x - 2) (x – 3) = 0 4) {-2}
Problem 1. Using the digits 1, 2, and 3, how many two-digit numbers can be
formed if repetition is not allowed?

Solution: Since we are tasked to list all two-digit numbers that can be formed using
the digits 1, 2, and 3 if repetition is not allowed, then the number of
two-digit numbers formed is given by:

3!
3 P2 =
(3−2)!= �� applying permutation

Note: 12 is different from 21 – order is important

Answer: There are 6 two-digit numbers that can be formed if repetition is not
allowed, which are 12, 13, 21, 23, 31, 32.

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
Problem 2. Three Players were numbered as 1, 2, and 3. How many teams of two
players can be formed?

Solution: The arrangement of team members does not affect the team composition.
To find for the number of teams of two members formed, we can list
down possible arrangements.

Note: Players 1 and 2 forming a team is the same as the team formed
by players 2 and 1. Thus, order is NOT important. Listing
possible arrangements, they are:

12, 21 12 is the same with 21 - 1 combination

13, 31 13 is the same with 31 - 1 combination
23, 32 23 is the same with 32 - 1 combination

Answer: There are 3 teams of two players formed.

Problem 1 is an example of permutation problem because order is important.

Problem 2, on the other hand is an example of a combination problem because
order is not important. Now, how are we going to answer problem 2 without listing
the possibilities? Since order is not important, we will be using the concept of
combination to answer problems similar to given problem 2 above.

Notice that the number of arrangements of choosing 2 players from 3 players

numbered as 1, 2, and 3 is equal to 2! or 2. The 2 arrangements represent only 1
team or 1 combination. The ratio is 2! :1 or r! : 1.

In the permutation of n objects taken r at a time, the elements of a set r

objects taken from the n objects can be arranged in r! different ways. Since in
combination order does not matter, the number of arrangements of the elements of
the same set of r objects represent only 1 group or 1 combination. The ratio is r! :
1, Hence the following proportion:

r! :1 = nPr : nCr

Solving for nCr:

r! :1 = nPr:nCr

nPr = r!nCr
��!
��!������
��!=
(��−��)!
��!

Thus,
��!
��!(��−��)!=nCr

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
Combination is a selection made from a group of ítems without regard
to their order.
��
It is denoted by nCr, or C(n,r), or C ��and read as “the combination of n
objects taken r at a time” or “n choose r” and is given using the formula nCr =
��!

��!(��−��)!

where: C refers to the number of combinations.

n refers to the total number of objects in a set.
r refers to the number of objects selected from the set.

Let us consider the following problems involving combinations.

Example 1. Three Players were numbered as 1, 2, and 3, how many teams of two
players can be formed?

Solution: Since this problem (problem 2) was solved previously by listing method.
Now, let us solve it using the combination formula. We are to form teams of 2
players from 3 players. Thus, as explained above, we can use now the formula for
combination where n=3 and r = 2.

��!
Cr =
n
 ��!(��−��)!
3!
3 C2 =
2!(3−2)!

3 C2 = 3
thus, giving us the same answer, which is 3.

Example 2. Playing Lotto

Lotto is a game of chance which is played by choosing six different

numbers from 1 to 42. How many different bets are possible?

Solution: The problem is an example of combination because the order on how

the 6 numbers are chosen is not important.

��!
n Cr =
��!(��−��)!using the formula
42!
42 C6 =
6!(42−6)!let n = 42 and r = 6
42 C6 = 5,245,786 simplify

Thus, there are 5,245,786 bets possible.

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
Example 3. Creating Committees

How many different committees of 4 people can be formed from a pool

of 7 people?

Solution: It’s a combination problem because there is no order of the members

required in the committee. Since we are to form a group of 4 from 7
people then, we will use combination with n =7 and r= 4.

7!
7 C4 =
4!(7−4)!

7 C4 = 35

There are 35 different committees.

Example 4. Creating Committees

How many different committees consisting of 8 people can be formed

from 12 men and 9 women if the number of men and the number of
women as members are equal?

Solution: Since the committee needs equal numbers of men and women to form a
committee with 8 members, then, the number of men and number of
women are both 4. These 4 men and 4 women will be chosen using
the concept of combination since the order of being chosen is not
 important.

12 C4 - the number of ways that 4 men will be chosen from

12 men.

C4 – the number of ways that 4 women will be chosen from

9
9 women.

After which, apply FCP by multiplying the two combination results in

order to get desired result.

C4 ∙ 9C4 = (495)(126)
12

= 62,370

There are 62,370 different committees.

Example 5. Creating Committees

A committee of 3 members is to be formed from 6 women and 5 men.

The committee must include at least 2 women. In how many ways can
this be done?

Solution: Since the committee needs at least 2 women to form a committee of 3

members, then the number of women needed in the committee could
either be 2 or 3. So, if there are 2 women in the group, then it needs 1

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
man to complete the number of members in the committee. If there
are 3 women in the group, then, the committee is already complete.

6 C2 ∙ 5C1 - apply FCP to get the number of ways to form a

committee with 2 women and 1 man

6C3 ∙ 5C0 - apply FCP to get the number of ways to form a

committee with 3 women and 0 man

Afterwhich, add the combination results to get the desired result.

(6C2 ∙ 5C1) + (6C3 ∙ 5C0) = (15∙5) + (20∙1)

= 75 + 20
= 95
There are 95 different committees.

What’s More
Now, your turn.
Activity 3:
Show combination notation in solving each of the following problems.

1) How many combinations of three letters can be made from the

letters B, E, A, U, T, and Y?

2) There are 8 persons inside a room. If each person is paired with

another person to dance cha- cha, how many pairs of dancers are
there in all?

3) From the letters of the word LINEAR, in how many ways can one
consonant and two vowels be chosen?

4) I have 5 coins in my purse; 1 five-centavo coin, 1 ten-centavo coin, 1

one-peso coin, 1 five-peso coin and 1 ten-peso coin. If I pull out 3
coins, how many different amounts of the three pulled coins are
possible?

5. A box contain 6 distinct red balls and 4 distinct blue balls. In

how many
ways can 3 balls be drawn randomly from the box if:
a. the color is not considered?
b. 2 balls is red and one is blue?
c. all three balls are red?

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3

What I Have Learned

Summing up, list down what you have learned in our discussion.
Activity 4.
Summarize what you have learned by accomplishing the following activity:

At least 2 concepts/definitions learned about combination:

1.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

1 important skill that I should have to understand easily the lesson.

 ______________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
At this part of the module, you will be applying the concepts of combination in
some areas like Geometry. Consider the problem below.

Problem: How many triangles can be formed from five points on a plane, no three
of which are collinear?

Solution A: Normally, instinct will tell us to draw the points on the plane in order
to solve the problem, but mind you, it is possible. We can illustrate it
using the figure below.

C
A

B E
D

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
Now using A, B, C, D, and E to name the points, we can identify the
different triangles formed. They are:
∆������ ∆������ ∆������ ∆������ ∆������
∆������ ∆������ ∆������ ∆������ ∆������

Therefore, there are 10 different triangles formed.

Solution B: Sometimes, it is not practical to draw the figure, especially if you are
given a larger number of points. We can apply the concept of
combination in order to answer the problem easily.

Let us analyze the problem. How many points are needed in order to
form a triangle? How many points do we have? Since we are given five
points, no three of which are collinear, any three points chosen can
form a triangle. In other words, we are selecting three points out of
five given points. Thus, we can solve it using combination where n=5
and r =3.

��!
n Cr =
��!(��−��)!
5!
5C3 =
3!(5−3)!

5C3 = 10

Giving us the same answer, which is 10.

 Congratulations, I know that you are ready to apply what you had learned in
this module.
Activity 5
Solve the following problems.

1) How many chords can be drawn given 6 points on a circle?

2) The figure below shows 5 vertical lines and 4 horizontal lines which
intersect forming right angles. As a result, rectangles are formed.
How many rectangles in all are formed?

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3

Assessment
DIRECTION: Let us determine how much you have learned from this module. Read
and answer each item carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on the blank
provided before the number.

_____1. Which of the following situation does not require combination?

A. Forming a committee of councilors.
B. Assigning rooms to conference participants.
C. Selecting the top 3 winners in a singing contest.
D. Choosing two literature books to buy from a variety of choices.

_____2. Which of the following requires combination?

A. Issuing plate numbers.
B. Lining up in paying bills.
C. Arranging 6 people in a round table.
D. Choosing five badminton players from 12 athletes.

_____3. Electing an auditor and a treasurer from 8 candidates is an

example of ____.
A. Permutation B. Combination C. Sets D. cannot be determined

_____4. The number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time is denoted

by ________.
A. ��!��!B. ��!
��!
(��−��)!��!C.
(��−��)��!D. ��!

_____5. Evaluate: 12��3.

A. 2,200 B. 1,320 C. 220 D. 132
_____6. How many straight lines can be drawn using five points (A, B, C, D,
and E), in which no three points are collinear?
A. 0 B. 5 C. 6 D. 10

_____7. In a box, there are 5 black pens, 3 white pens and 4 red pens. In
how many ways can 2 black pens, 2 white pens and 2 red pens be
chosen?
A. 19 B. 30 C. 38 D. 180

_____8. How many diagonals can be drawn in a 9-sided polygon?

A. 72 B. 36 C. 27 D. 12

For items 9 – 12. A group of 6 women and 9 men will form four-person
committees. How many committees are possible if it must consist of the
following:

_____9. 2 men and 2 women?

A. 51 B. 102 C. 540 D. 1,365
_____10. at most 3 men?
A. 180 B. 504 C. 1,224 D. 1,239
_____11. a majority of women?
A. 15 B. 180 C. 195 D. 2,700

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
_____12. minimum of 2 women?
A. 126 B. 735 C. 1,044 D. 1,365

_____13. There are 7 dots randomly placed on a circle, how many triangles
can be formed using the dots as vertices?
A. 7 B. 20 C. 35 D. 84

_____14. There are 13 volleyball teams during the 2019 CARAA. How many
games must be played in order for each team to play every other
team exactly once?
A. 13 B. 26 C. 78 D. 286

_____15. Fifteen participants for the MTAP competition were asked to shake
hands and introduce themselves with each other. How many
handshakes took place?
A. 15 B. 30 C. 45 D. 105

Additional Activities
 Activity 6.
Answer the following problems:

1) A dance instructor asks each student to do 4 out of the 10

dance routines. Of the 10 dance routines, 2 are easy, 5 are
moderately difficult and 3 are difficult. In how many ways can
a student select each of the following for the 4 dance
routines? a. 4 moderately difficult routines
b. 2 moderately difficult and 2 difficult routines
c. 1 easy and 3 difficult routines

2) From a deck of 52 playing cards, 5 cards are to be

drawn. How many sets of 5 cards are possible if:
a. there is no restriction?
b. there are 2 aces and 3 jacks?
c. all cards are black?
d. all cards are diamonds?
e. there are 3 face-cards, 1 king, and 1 spade?

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
the set selected from

Answer Key
r refers to the number of
objects
objects in a
set,
n refers to the total number
of
combination
s,
C refers to the number of

! ) �� −��(! ��
;
=r Cn 2. ! ��

at a time” or “n choose r” r taken objects n “the combination of

C 5) A 4)
C , or C(n,r), or r Cn E 3)
��,
 d. 1 287 5. a. 120
c. 65 780 4. 10
b. 24 3. 9
2. a. 2 598 2. 28
960 d. 2 1. 20
c. 30 3 Activity 12, 13, 23 2.
b. 35
1. a. 5
6 Activity
D 2)
B 1)
Activity 1 C 15)
2. 60 B 14)
D 13)
D 12)
A 11)
�� C 10)
C 9)
1. C 8)
NOTATIONS B 7)
4 Activity C 6)
B 5)
C 4)
C 3)
c. 20 C 2)
b. 60 C 1)
1. 15
5 Activity
12, 13, 21, 23, 31, 32 1. Activity 2
Know
What I

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CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
References:
C.G. Lapinid, Grade 10 Mathematics Pattern and Practicalities,
(Don Bosco Press, 2015)

S.M.Esparrago, Next Century Mathematics,(Phoenix Publishing

House, INC.,2015)
 15
CO_Q3_Mathematics10 _ Module 3
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