The COMBIN
function calculate the number of combinations
of a specific number of items (the number
of possible ways to combine a set number
of items from a group).
- The Syntax
for the function is COMBIN(number,
chosen )
where "number" is
the number of objects or items and
"chosen"
is the number items in each combination.
The number of combinations
a group has depends on the size of the
group and the number of selected items
chosen form the group. The order in which
the items are combined is NOT significant.
For example:
COMBIN(4,2) = 6 as there are 6 ways
to combine 2 objects from a group of
4.
A simple method of explaining
this mathematically is to assume that
there are four different colors in the
group (ROYB) of which you are trying
to calculate how many ways you can select
2 colors.
you could select a red
R and then a blue B giving a permutation
of RB or select blue and then blue again
giving BB. Or you may sekect blue then
red giving BR which is not different
form RB . If
you work out all the possible ways to
choose the colors you end up with:
RO, RY, RB, OY, OB,
YB =6 (with no repeats)
That is 6 unique
ways (as order is not important) of choosing
two colors form a group of four. For
a more in depth explanation the combinations
see the [combinations mathematics knowledgebase].
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