How do you do this type of problem?
Five singers are to perform at a talent show. One insists on being the last performer. If that is so, how many different ways are you able to schedule the appearances?
What is this? A permutation or combination? How do you solve it?
2007-10-29 14:41:12 · 2 answers · asked by yellowducks 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Permutation because order matters. You are arranging the 4 remaining singers.
Place the one singer at the end of the show. It's like they don't count. Now you have 4 performers to arrange. There are 4! ways (4 x 3 x 2 x 1) to do this so the answer is 24.
If you aren't sure, think of the number of ways to pick the first performer... there are 4 ways. Then the number of ways to pick the second performer, 3 ways. The third performer, 2 ways. The fourth performer, 1 way. Last performer, 1 way.
4 x 3 x 2 x 1 x 1 = 24
2007-10-29 14:44:49 · answer #1 · answered by Puzzling 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a permutation, since order matters.
Since there are 4 choices for the 1st singer, 3 choices for the 2nd, 2 for the 3rd, 1 for the 4th, and 1 for the 5th, there are a total of 4*3*2*1*1, or 24 possible schedules.
Hope that helps!
2007-10-29 21:49:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋