The PERMUT
function calculates the number of permutation
of a specific number of items (the number
of possible ways to choose a set number
of items from a group).
- The Syntax
for the function is PERMUT(number,
chosen )
where "number" is
the number of objects or items and
"chosen"
is the number items in each permutation..
The number of permutation
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 removed and subsequently
arranged is also significant giving unique
combinations of items.
For example:
PERMUT(4,2) = 12 as there are 12 ways
to select 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 (replacing a chosen color each
time).
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 noteably different
form RB as blue was chosen first. If
you work out all the possible ways to
choose the colors you end up with:
RO, RY, RB, OY,OB,YB,
BY, BO,YO, BR,YR,OR = 12
That is 12 unique
ways of choosing two colors form a group
of four. For a more in depth explanation
the permutations see the [permutation
mathematics knowledgebase].
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