Permutations vs Combinations Review

Hiring a math teacher, a history teacher, and a photo teacher.

• Permutation

• Combination

Hiring three 1st grade teachers.

• Permutation

• Combination

Picking two players for quarterback and linebacker.

• Permutation

• Combination

Picking four players to play a pickup game of basketball with no positions.

• Permutation

• Combination

Selecting a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer for the student board.

• Permutation

• Combination

Selecting a four representatives for the student board.

• Permutation

• Combination

Runners finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in a race.

• Permutation

• Combination

Runners finishing top three in a race to qualify for the Olympics. The order they finish in is irrelevant as long as they are top three.

• Permutation

• Combination

Ms. Maguire has five pairs of pants, nine sweaters, and six scarves. How many different outfits can she make consisting of one pair of pants, one sweater, and one scarf?

• 45

• 270

• 30

• 54

Which of the following situations or activities involve permutation?

• Choosing 4 candidates to a municipal planning board from a field of 7 candidates.

• Selecting 3 posters to hang out of 6 different posters

• Arranging the letters of the word READ, 3 at a time

• Choosing 5 questions to answer out of 15 questions in a test