There are 4 office positions to be filled. There are 25 people applying for the 4 positions. How many possible combinations can occur in filling these positions? Please show the equation for this. Thanks!
2007-01-21 11:30:23 · 7 answers · asked by DeAngelo L 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
First you have to see if the office positions are all the same job. If so, this is a combimation problem; you'd find 25C4 which is
(25X24X23X22)/(4X3X2X1)
If they are different jobs, it's a permutation since the order that the jobs are assigned makes a difference: 25P4 = 25X24X23X22
If the problem doesn't state whether or not the jobs are different, go with combinations since that word is in the problem.
2007-01-21 11:40:08 · answer #1 · answered by hayharbr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since there are 25 people, but only 4 positions, the equation is 25!/4!
2007-01-21 19:43:58 · answer #2 · answered by CheeseLord 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
25 things taken 4 at a time is:
25!/(21!*4!)
= 25*24*23*22/4*3*2
= 12,650
The equation for combinations of n things taken k at a time is:
n!/[(n-k)!*k!]
2007-01-21 19:52:36 · answer #3 · answered by ironduke8159 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
25 C 4
This is a combination.
nCk = n! / k! (n - k)!
so:
25! / 4! (25 - 4)! = 12650
2007-01-21 19:36:38 · answer #4 · answered by Michael Dino C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's kind of late to be doing homework ,eh? 7:30 on a Sunday!
i would tell you the answer but it's better if you learn it yourself because its not like you can ask people the answers when it comes test time!
2007-01-21 19:35:07 · answer #5 · answered by qwerty 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
100 i think
2007-01-21 19:44:05 · answer #6 · answered by World Cup 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think 100 but i'm not 100% sure
2007-01-21 19:40:10 · answer #7 · answered by ♥~Jeff Hardy's babe~♥ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋