Permutation, Combination and

Topic/Course
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Probability
Fundamental Counting Principle
Drill 1
 Question
A shopping mall has 3 distinct glass doors and 2 distinct metal doors for entry and
has 5 distinct glass doors and a wooden door for exit.

In how many ways can you enter the mall? ________

In how many ways can you leave the mall? ________

In total, how many ways can you enter and leave the mall? ________
 Question
If there are three trains from A to B and 5 trains from B to C, in how many ways can
one travel from A to C by train (assume there are no direct trains from A to C)?
________
Permutation and Combination
Drill 2
 Question
The number of ways a cricket team of 11 can be selected from a 16 - member squad.
P/C
 Question
The number of ways 7 dignitaries can seat themselves in seven chairs kept on the
stage. P/C
 Question
The number of ways a panel of 4 judges can be formed from 6 retired judges. P/C
 Question
The number of ways 5 friends can occupy 7 empty chairs in a theatre. P/C
 Question
The number of ways Raghav can invite 3 out of 7 friends to his house for a party.
P/C
Computation of Permutation
Drill 3
 Question
For the following questions, identify whether repetition is allowed (A) or not
allowed (NA).

i. How many 3 - digit numbers can be formed using single digit prime numbers? A
/ NA

ii. In how many ways can 15 friends sit in 20 chairs in a movie theatre? A / NA

iii. In how many ways can 4 letters be posted in 6 post boxes? A / NA

 Question
In how many ways can 5 friends be seated in three chairs?

Number of ways of filling the 1st chair = ________

Number of ways of filling the 2nd chair = ________

Number of ways of filling the 3rd chair = ________

Total number of ways of filling the 3 chairs = ________

 Question
What is the maximum number of attempts required to open a 3 - slot number lock
where each slot can have any digit between 0 and 9?
 Question
How many 5 letter words (with or without meaning) can be formed using the letters
of the word ‘GREAT’?
i. If repetition of alphabets is allowed _____ x _____ x _____ x _____ x _____ =
__________
ii. Without repetition of alphabets _____ x _____ x _____ x _____ x _____ =
__________
iii. Such that all the vowels are together _____ x _____ x _____ x _____ x _____
= __________
iv. Such that the vowels are together and the consonants are together __________
x __________= __________
v. No two vowels are together
 Question
Making use of the five digits 0, 2, 6, 7, and 9,

i. How many 4-digit numbers can you make without repetition of digits? _____ x
_____ x _____ x _____ = __________

ii. How many 4-digit even numbers can you form? _____ x _____ x _____ x
_____ = __________

iii. How many 4-digit numbers divisible by four can you form? _____ x _____ x
_____________ = __________
 Question
In how many ways can three boys and three girls sit in six chairs?

i. If no 2 boys should sit together __________

ii. If no 2 boys or girls should sit together __________

 Question
How many 4-letter words can be formed using all the letters of the word ‘TEST’?
__________
 Question
How many words can be formed using all the letters of the word ‘ELEPHANT’?
__________
 Question
In how many ways can 3 red balls and 2 blue balls be arranged in a straight line?
__________
 Question
In how many ways can 3 red and 2 blue balls be arranged in a straight line?
__________
 Question
In how many ways can 5 letters be posted in 4 post - boxes?__________
Circular Permutation
Drill 4
 Question
You go to a jewellery shop to buy a beaded necklace and the necklace displayed on
the side is shown to you.

After some time, the sales man rotates the displayed jewellery by a certain angle and
claims it to be a different jewellery. Will you accept it? Yes/No
 Question
In how many ways can 5 friends sit around a table?

Are clockwise and anti-clockwise arrangements different? Yes/No

Number of circular arrangements = ________________

 Question
How many necklaces can be formed with 7 different beads?

Are clockwise and anti-clockwise arrangements different? Yes/No

Number of circular arrangements = ________________

 Question
How many garlands can be formed with 6 different coloured roses?

Are clockwise and anti-clockwise arrangements different? Yes/No

Number of circular arrangements = ________________

 Question
In how many ways can 4 boys and 4 girls sit around a table, if no two boys should
sit together? _____________
Computation of Combination
Drill 5
 Question
From a squad of 8 members, in how many ways can you pick a team of 5 members?

Is selecting 3 members, who will not be a part of the team, the same as selecting 5
members who will be a part of the team? Yes/No
 Question
In how many ways can you form a cricket team of 11(comprising of 6 batsmen and
5 bowlers) from a squad of 16 (8 batsmen and 8 bowlers)?

Number of ways of selecting batsmen = ______ C _____ = __________

Number of ways of selecting bowlers = ______ C _____ = __________

Number of ways of selecting the team = ________ x _________ = __________

 Question
In how many ways can you form a committee of 4 from 5 men and 3 women?

i. If the committee comprises of 2 men and 2 women? _____________

ii. The committee has at least 2 men? _____________

iii. The committee has no more than 2 women? _____________

iv. One particular member always has to be selected? _____________

v. One particular member should never be selected? _____________

 Question
From 6 friends, in how many ways can you invite

i. 3 friends to your house for a party? _____________

ii. 1 or more friends to your house for a party? ___________

iii. At least 2 friends to your house for a party? _____________

 Question
In how many ways can you give one or more toffees to your friend from the 5
similar orange and 4 similar grape flavoured toffees? _____________
Probability
Drill 6
 Question
Problems on Sample Space

i. If a coin is tossed 4 times, how many different outcomes are possible?

Number of outcomes per toss of a coin = _______

Total number of outcomes for 4 tosses = _______

If 4 coins are tossed at once, will the number of outcomes be the same? Yes/No
 Question
ii. If a die is rolled 3 times, how many different outcomes are possible?

Number of outcomes per roll of a die = __________

Total number of outcomes for rolling the die thrice = __________

 Question
iii. If 2 cards are drawn at random from a pack of cards, how many different
outcomes are possible?

With replacement __________

Without replacement __________

 Question
b. Problems on Probability

i. If two different letters are selected at random from the English alphabet, what is
the probability that
• Both of them are vowels?

• At least one of them is a vowel?

Total Probability = Probability of selecting 2 vowels + Probability of selecting 1
vowel = __________ + __________ = __________
 Question
ii. If 2 dice are rolled, what is the probability that the sum of the values on them is
a prime number? __________
 Question
iii. If 3 coins are tossed simultaneously, what is the probability that exactly 2 of
them will show tails? __________
 Question
iv. If 4 coins are tossed simultaneously, what is the probability of getting 2 or
more tails? __________
 Question
v. If two cards are drawn at random from a pack of cards, what is the probability
that

• Both of them are spades? __________

• Both of them are red or both of them are kings? __________

 Question
c. Problems on odds in favour / odds against

i. Two fair coins are tossed. What are the odds in favour of getting heads on both
the coins?

Probability of getting heads on both the coins = __________

Odds in favour = Probability of getting heads on both: Probability of not getting
heads on both = __________ : __________

ii. If 3 dice are rolled simultaneously, what are the odds against getting a prime
number on each of the 3 faces? __________
Concept Review Questions
 Question
How many ten letter words can be formed with all the letters of the word
‘ENGAGEMENT’?

A) 10!
B) 10! / (3! x 2! x 2!)
C) 10! / (3! x 2!)
D) None of these
 Question
How many 5 - digit numbers divisible by 4 can be formed using the digits 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9 such that there is no repetition of digits?

A) 30
B) 21
C) 24
D) 18
 Question
Find the sum of all 4 - digit numbers formed by taking all the digits 2, 4, 5, and 7.

A) 118899
B) 119988
C) 19998
D) 19988
 Question
A conference is attended by 25 participants. If each participant shakes hand with
every other participant, what will be the resultant number of handshakes?

A) 300
B) 25
C) 276
D) 325
 Question
How many diagonals does an octagon have?

A) 56
B) 20
C) 28
D) 24
 Question
How many parallelograms are formed by a set of 6 parallel lines intersecting
another set of 4 parallel lines?

A) 24
B) 90
C) 15
D) None of these
 Question
If all the possible words using the letters of the word ‘DRAW’ are formed without
repetition and arranged in alphabetical order, what will be the position of the word
‘WARD’?

A) 23
B) 24
C) 19
D) 20
 Question
In how many ways can 6 tennis players be divided into 3 teams of 2 each?

A) 20
B) 45
C) 90
D) None of these
 Question
What is the probability that a clerk while randomly placing 5 letters (each intended
for a particular recipient) in 5 addressed envelopes will place exactly one of those
letters in a wrong envelope?

A) 5!
B) 1/5!
C) 0
D) None of these
 Question
If two different numbers are randomly selected from the first 10 natural numbers,
what is the probability that the sum of the selected numbers will be 11?

A) 1/55
B) 1/11
C) 1/9
D) 1/45
 Question
From a bag with 2 white, 3 black and 5 red marbles, 3 marbles are randomly
selected. What is the probability that all the 3 selected marbles are red in colour?

A) 1/2
B) 1/120
C) 1/12
D) None of these
 Question
A football player was practicing penalty shots. If the probability of scoring a goal
for each attempt is 80%, what is the probability that he will score a goal in each of
his 3 attempts?

A) 80%
B) 64%
C) 0%
D) 51%
 Question
If the letters of the word ‘TRAP’ are jumbled at random, what is the probability that
the position in which the vowel appears will remain unchanged?

A) 6/23
B) 1/24
C) 1/6
D) 1/4
 Question
A man plays a game of dice in a casino. The man has to pay Rs. 100 for every roll
of the dice. If a multiple of 3 turns up, the man doubles his money; else, he forfeits
it. In the long run, what is his expected gain or loss per roll of the dice?

A) Rs. 33 1/3 gain

B) No gain or loss
C) Rs. 33 1/3 loss
D) Rs. 100 loss
 Question
There are two boxes with numerous balls in them. The first box has 13 red and 17
white balls. The second box has 12 red and 8 green balls. If one of those boxes is
selected at random and a ball is selected at random from the selected box, what is
the probability that the selected ball will be white?

A) 17 / 30
B) 17 / 50
C) 17 / 60
D) 29 / 60
Practice Exercise
 Question
A man has 2 jackets, 5 shirts and 6 pairs of slacks. If an outfit consists of a jacket,
shirt and a pair of slacks, how many different outfits can the man wear?

A) 126
B) 60
C) 50
D) None of these
 Question
A department contains 17 male employees and 15 female employees. In how many
ways can a male and a female employee be chosen to represent the department?

A) 275
B) 32
C) 255
D) None of these
 Question
Find the total number of ways in which 4 persons can be seated in 6 seats.

A) 24
B) 720
C) 360
D) 180
 Question
How many 4 - digit numbers can be made by using digits 1 to 7 (repetition is not
allowed), if the digit 4 will always be there in the number?

A) 120
B) 240
C) 480
D) 840
 Question
How many different 3 - letter words can be made by 5 vowels with repetition, if
vowel ‘A’ is never included?

A) 24
B) 60
C) 6
D) 64
 Question
In how many ways can a bracelet of 10 different beads be made?

A) 9!/2!
B) 10!
C) 8!/2
D) 10!/2!
 Question
In a class of 25 students, find the total number of ways to select two representatives,
if a particular person is never selected.

A) 256
B) 276
C) 225
D) 290
 Question
Find the total number of combinations of 5 letters A, B, A, B, B taking some or all
at time.

A) 10
B) 12
C) 11
D) 9
 Question
Out of 6 consonants and 5 vowels, how many words of 3 consonants and 2 vowels
can be formed?

A) 200
B) 24000
C) 120
D) 2400
 Question
Eighteen guests have to be seated, half on each side of a long table. Four particular
guests desire to sit on one particular side and three others on the other side.
Determine the number of ways in which the seating arrangement can be made.

A) 11
C5 x 9! x 9!
B) 10
C5 x 9! x 8!
C) 10
C5 x 9! x 9!
D) 11
C5 x 9! x 8!
 Question
If four dice are thrown, what is the probability that the sum of the numbers thrown
up will be 19?

A) 7/162
B) 56/162
C) 7/1296
D) None of these
 Question
If a number is randomly selected from the first 200 natural numbers, what is the
probability that it is divisible by 5 or by 8?

A) 3/10
B) 13/40
C) 7/20
D) None of these
 Question
A coin is tossed 3 times. Find the probability of getting at least one head.

A) 3/4
B) 5/8
C) 6/7
D) 7/8
 Question
What is the chance that a leap year selected at random contains 53 Fridays?

A) 2/5
B) 3/7
C) 2/7
D) 3/5
 Question
A single card is selected from a deck of 52 bridge cards. What is the probability that

I. It is not a heart?
II. It is an ace or a spade?

A) 39/52, 9/13
B) 3/4, 4/13
C) 39/52, 4/9
D) 3/4, 4/9
 Question
The letters of the word ENTRANCE are arranged in all possible ways. The number
of arrangements having the E’s together and N’s together is

A) 7!
B) 6!
C) 8!
D) 2x6!
 Question
How many numbers lying between 3000 and 4000 and which are divisible by 5 can
be made with the digits 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, without repetition?

A) 6
B) 12
C) 13
D) 15
 Question
The total number of ways of answering all 5 objective - type questions, each
question having 4 choices is

A) 625
B) 512
C) 3025
D) 1024
 Question
The number of ways of distributing 10 different books among 4 students (S1, S2,
S3, S4) such that S1 and S2 get 2 books each and S3 and S4 get 3 books each is

A) 12600
B) 10!/(4! x 6!)
C) 10
C4
D) 10!/(2! x 2! x 3! x 3!)
 Question
Each of two friends has 20 stamps and 10 postcards. We call an exchange ‘fair’ if
they exchange a stamp for a stamp or a postcard for a postcard. How many ways are
there to carry out one fair exchange between these two friends?

A) 200
B) 400
C) 600
D) 500
 Question
4 men and 3 women are to be seated in a row such that the women occupy the even
places. How many such arrangements are possible?

A) 7!
B) 144
C) 30
D) 6!
 Question
What is the sum of all the 4 - digit numbers that can be formed using all of the digits
2, 3, 5 and 7?

A) 113322
B) 11322
C) 11332
D) 113332
 Question
How many diagonals does a decagon have?

A) 45
B) 35
C) 90
D) 70
 Question
There are 21 students studying in a class. If every student studying in the class gives
a greeting card to every other student in the class, then how many greeting cards
will be exchanged?

A) 420
B) 220
C) 210
D) 462
 Question
How many squares does a chess board have?

A) 64
B) 204
C) 1296
D) None of these
 Question
A multiple - choice question paper has 8 questions with 4 options per question. In
how many ways can one or more of those questions be attempted?

A) 48
B) 58
C) 48 - 1
D) 58 - 1
 Question
In how many ways can one or more of 6 similar Perk chocolates and 5 similar
Kitkat chocolates be given away?

A) 41
B) 10
C) 211 - 1
D) 29
 Question
The probability that A will be alive for 30 years is 60% and the probability that his
friend B will be alive for 30 years is 40%. What is the probability that exactly one
of them will be alive after 30 years?

A) 50%
B) 62%
C) 24%
D) 52%
 Question
A man plays a game of cards in a casino. The man has to pay Rs.10 for drawing a
card from a well shuffled pack of cards. If a numbered card turns up, the man
doubles his money else he forfeits it. In the long run, what is his expected gain or
loss per card drawn?

A) Rs. 3.85 gain

B) No gain or loss
C) Rs. 3.80 loss
D) Rs. 50 gain
 Question
There are 2 boxes. One has 5 green and 6 yellow balls, while the other has 4 green
and 8 yellow balls. You randomly select a ball from any box. What is probability
that a green ball is selected?

A) 13/33
B) 9/23
C) 14/23
D) None of these
Self Assessment
 Question
How many four-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 0, 1, 2, 7 & 9 without
repetition?

A) 24
B) 120
C) 96
D) None of these
 Question
15 boxers participate in a boxing tournament, where every boxer has to fight with
every other boxer. How many fights will be played?

A) 15
B) 120
C) 96
D) 105
 Question
A man plays a game of roulette in a casino. The roulette wheel has 18 black, 18 red
and 2 green slots. When the wheel is spinning, he tosses a ball into the wheel and
the ball lands in one of the slots. The man has to pay Rs. 190 for every try. If the
ball lands in a red slot, he doubles his money else he forfeits it. In the long run, what
is his expected gain or loss per try?

A) Rs. 10 gain
B) Rs. 10 loss
C) Rs. 5 loss
D) None of these
 Question
There are 2 urns with red and white marbles in them. Urn A has 3 red and 9 white
marbles and Urn B has 12 red and 4 white marbles. If one of those urns is selected
at random and a marble is selected at random from the selected urn, what is the
probability that the selected marble will be red?

A) 15 / 28
B) 1/2
C) 1/4
D) None of these
 Question
Three friends A, B and C are practicing shooting balloons. The probability that A, B
and C individually hit the target are 1/3, 1/4 and 1/5 respectively. What is the
probability that at least one of them will hit the target?

A) 1/60
B) 3/5
C) 59/60
D) 2/5
 Question
The letters of the word ‘ENGAGEMENT’ are arranged such that all the vowels are
together. How many such arrangements are possible?

A) 7! × 4/ (3! 2! 2!)
B) 10!/(3! 2! 2!)
C) 7! / (3! 2! 2!)
D) 7! 4/ (2! 2!)
 Question
The key to a particular door is present in a key bunch containing 4 keys. What is the
probability that the lock will open in the second attempt?

A) 1/4
B) 3/16
C) 1/2
D) 1/16
 Question
If 2 dice are rolled, what is the probability that the sum of the numbers on the two
dice is an odd number?

A) 1/4
B) 4/9
C) 17/36
D) 1/2
 Question
If all the words that can be formed using the letters of the word ‘TIME’ are arranged
in alphabetical order, what will be the rank of the word ‘ITEM’?

A) 10
B) 11
C) 23
D) 12
 Question
If two cards are drawn at random from a well - shuffled pack of cards, what is the
probability that both of them are of the same sign?

A) 1/16
B) 1/4
C) 1/2
D) None of these
THANK YOU