Counting Principles & Permutations and Combinations | 计数原理与排列组合

📚 Counting Principles & Permutations and Combinations | 计数原理与排列组合

Counting is one of the most fundamental skills in mathematics. In this article, we will explore the two basic counting principles — the Addition Principle and the Multiplication Principle — and then build on them to understand permutations and combinations, which are essential tools for solving problems involving arrangements and selections.

计数是数学中最基本的技能之一。在本文中，我们将学习两大基本计数原理——加法原理与乘法原理，并在此基础上理解排列与组合，它们是解决排列与选择问题的核心工具。

1. The Addition Principle | 加法原理

The Addition Principle states that if one task can be done in m ways and another task can be done in n ways, and the two tasks cannot happen at the same time, then there are m + n ways to do either task.

加法原理指出：如果完成一件事有 m 种方法，完成另一件事有 n 种方法，且这两件事不能同时发生，那么完成其中任意一件事共有 m + n 种方法。

Key condition: the tasks must be mutually exclusive.
关键条件：各事件必须互斥。

Total ways = m + n

总方法数 = m + n

For example, if a student can choose either one novel from 5 novels or one poem from 3 poems, the number of choices is 5 + 3 = 8.

例如，一个学生可以从 5 本小说中选 1 本，或者从 3 首诗中选 1 首，那么他的选择总数是 5 + 3 = 8 种。

2. The Multiplication Principle | 乘法原理

The Multiplication Principle states that if one step can be done in m ways and a second step can be done in n ways regardless of the first choice, then the total number of ways to perform both steps in sequence is m × n.

乘法原理指出：如果完成第一步有 m 种方法，无论第一步如何选择，完成第二步都有 n 种方法，那么依次完成这两步共有 m × n 种方法。

Key condition: the steps are independent.
关键条件：各步骤相互独立。

Total ways = m × n

总方法数 = m × n

For example, if you have 3 shirts and 4 pairs of trousers, the number of outfits is 3 × 4 = 12.

例如，如果你有 3 件衬衫和 4 条裤子，那么搭配服装的总数为 3 × 4 = 12 种。

When there are more than two steps, multiply all the numbers together. For instance, choosing 2 starters from 4 options, 1 main from 5 options, and 1 dessert from 3 options gives 4 × 5 × 3 = 60 possible meals.

当步骤多于两步时，将各步骤的方法数相乘。例如，从 4 种前菜中选 2 种、从 5 种主菜中选 1 种、从 3 种甜点中选 1 种，共有 4 × 5 × 3 = 60 种可能的套餐。

3. Factorial Notation | 阶乘记号

Before studying permutations, we need to understand factorial notation. For a positive integer n, n! (read as “n factorial”) is the product of all positive integers from 1 to n.

在学习排列之前，我们需要理解阶乘记号。对于正整数 n，n!（读作”n 的阶乘”）等于从 1 到 n 所有正整数的乘积。

n! = n × (n – 1) × (n – 2) × … × 2 × 1

0! = 1 by definition.
按定义规定 0! = 1。
Examples: 3! = 6, 4! = 24, 5! = 120.
例如：3! = 6，4! = 24，5! = 120。

Factorials grow very quickly. They are used to simplify expressions in permutations and combinations.

阶乘增长非常快。它们用于简化排列与组合中的表达式。

4. What Is a Permutation? | 什么是排列

A permutation is an ordered arrangement of objects. The order matters in a permutation.

排列是对对象的有序安排。在排列中，顺序是重要的。

P(n, r) = n! / (n – r)!

This formula gives the number of ways to arrange r objects selected from n distinct objects, where order matters.

这个公式表示从 n 个不同物体中取出 r 个进行排列的方法数，顺序不同视为不同排列。

For example, P(5, 2) = 5! / 3! = 20. This means you can arrange 2 objects chosen from 5 in 20 different ways.

例如，P(5, 2) = 5! / 3! = 20。也就是说，从 5 个物体中取 2 个进行排列，共有 20 种不同方式。

5. Permutations of n Distinct Objects | n 个不同物体的全排列

When we arrange all n distinct objects, the number of permutations is n!.

当我们将 n 个不同物体全部进行排列时，排列数为 n!。

P(n, n) = n!

For example, arranging the letters A, B, C in all possible orders gives 3! = 6 arrangements: ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA.

例如，将字母 A、B、C 进行全排列，共有 3! = 6 种：ABC、ACB、BAC、BCA、CAB、CBA。

If there are repeated objects, the formula changes. For n objects where one type appears a times and another appears b times, the number of distinct arrangements is:

如果存在重复物体，公式需要调整。对于 n 个物体，其中一种出现 a 次，另一种出现 b 次，不同的排列数为：

n! / (a! × b!)

For example, the word “MISSISSIPPI” has 11 letters with repeated letters: M once, I four times, S four times, P twice. The number of distinct arrangements is 11! / (1! × 4! × 4! × 2!).

例如，单词”MISSISSIPPI”有 11 个字母，其中 M 出现 1 次，I 出现 4 次，S 出现 4 次，P 出现 2 次。不同的排列数为 11! / (1! × 4! × 4! × 2!)。

6. What Is a Combination? | 什么是组合

A combination is a selection of objects where the order does not matter.

组合是对物体的选择，其中顺序不重要。

C(n, r) = n! / (r! × (n – r)!)

The combination formula is also written as ⁿCᵣ or (n choose r). It counts the number of ways to choose r objects from n distinct objects without regard to order.

组合公式也写作 ⁿCᵣ 或 C(n, r)。它表示从 n 个不同物体中不考虑顺序地选取 r 个物体的方法数。

For example, C(5, 2) = 5! / (2! × 3!) = 10. Choosing 2 students from a group of 5 gives 10 possible pairs.

例如，C(5, 2) = 5! / (2! × 3!) = 10。从 5 名学生中选 2 名，共有 10 种可能的组合。

7. Relationship Between Permutations and Combinations | 排列与组合的关系

Permutations and combinations are closely related. A permutation can be seen as first choosing a combination and then arranging the chosen objects.

排列与组合密切相关。排列可以看作先选组合，再对所选对象进行排列。

P(n, r) = C(n, r) × r!

Therefore, we can write:

因此我们可以写：

C(n, r) = P(n, r) / r!

This relationship helps us understand why order matters for permutations but not for combinations.

这个关系帮助我们理解为什么排列中顺序重要，而组合中顺序不重要。

Also note the symmetry property:

同时注意对称性质：

C(n, r) = C(n, n – r)

For example, C(10, 7) = C(10, 3), which is often easier to compute.

例如，C(10, 7) = C(10, 3)，后者通常更容易计算。

8. Key Differences: Permutation vs Combination | 排列与组合的关键区别

Feature \| 特征	Permutation \| 排列	Combination \| 组合
Order matters? 顺序是否重要	Yes 是	No 否
Formula 公式	n! / (n – r)!	n! / (r! × (n – r)!)
Example 示例	Choosing a president, vice-president, secretary 选主席、副主席、秘书	Choosing 3 committee members 选 3 名委员会成员

When solving problems, first ask yourself: does the order matter? If yes, use permutations. If no, use combinations.

解题时，先问自己：顺序重要吗？如果重要，用排列；如果不重要，用组合。

9. Circular Permutations | 圆排列

When arranging objects in a circle, rotations are considered the same arrangement. The number of ways to arrange n distinct objects in a circle is (n – 1)!.

当将物体排列成圆形时，旋转后相同的排列被视为同一种排列。将 n 个不同物体排成圆形的排列数为 (n – 1)!。

Circular permutations of n objects = (n – 1)!

n 个物体的圆排列数 = (n – 1)!

For example, arranging 5 people around a circular table gives (5 – 1)! = 4! = 24 arrangements.

例如，将 5 个人围坐在圆桌旁，共有 (5 – 1)! = 4! = 24 种排列。

The reason is simple: fixing one person breaks the circular symmetry, leaving the remaining 4 people to be arranged in a line.

原因很简单：固定一个人打破圆形对称，剩下的 4 个人排成一条直线即可。

10. Combinations with Repetition | 可重复组合

Sometimes we allow repetition when choosing objects. The number of ways to choose r objects from n types of objects, where repetition is allowed and order does not matter, is:

有时我们允许在选择对象时重复。从 n 类物体中选取 r 个，允许重复且不考虑顺序的方法数为：

C(n + r – 1, r)

For example, choosing 3 scoops of ice cream from 5 available flavors, where flavors can repeat, gives C(5 + 3 – 1, 3) = C(7, 3) = 35.

例如，从 5 种口味中选 3 球冰淇淋，口味可以重复，共有 C(5 + 3 – 1, 3) = C(7, 3) = 35 种。

This formula is derived using the stars and bars method, which is an important technique for counting solutions to certain equations.

该公式可通过隔板法推导，这是计算某些方程解数的重要技巧。

11. Using Counting Principles to Solve Complex Problems | 用计数原理解决复杂问题

Many real-world problems require combining the Addition Principle, Multiplication Principle, permutations, and combinations.

许多实际问题需要综合运用加法原理、乘法原理、排列与组合。

Example 1 | 例 1: A committee of 3 people is to be formed from 4 boys and 5 girls. How many committees contain at least 2 girls?

例 1：从 4 名男生和 5 名女生中选出 3 人组成委员会，问至少包含 2 名女生的委员会有多少种？

Solution: We split into two cases. Case 1: exactly 2 girls and 1 boy. Case 2: exactly 3 girls.

解答：我们分两种情况。情况 1：恰好 2 名女生和 1 名男生；情况 2：恰好 3 名女生。

C(5,2) × C(4,1) + C(5,3) = 10 × 4 + 10 = 50

Example 2 | 例 2: How many different 3-digit numbers can be formed from digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 if no digit is repeated?

例 2：用数字 1、2、3、4、5 组成没有重复数字的三位数，共有多少个？

Solution: The hundreds digit has 5 choices, the tens digit has 4 remaining choices, and the units digit has 3 choices. Total = 5 × 4 × 3 = 60.

解答：百位有 5 种选择，十位有剩下的 4 种选择，个位有 3 种选择。总数 = 5 × 4 × 3 = 60。

12. Common Mistakes and Exam Tips | 常见错误与考试技巧

Mistake: using permutations when the order does not matter. Always check whether order matters.
错误：在顺序不重要时误用排列。一定要判断顺序是否重要。
Mistake: adding when you should multiply. Use the Addition Principle for mutually exclusive cases, and the Multiplication Principle for sequential independent steps.
错误：该用乘法时用加法。互斥情况用加法原理，依次独立的步骤用乘法原理。
Mistake: forgetting that 0! = 1.
错误：忘记 0! = 1。
Tip: In “at least” or “at most” problems, consider the complementary case to simplify the calculation.
技巧：遇到”至少”或”至多”问题时，考虑用补集简化计算。
Tip: Practise classifying problems as permutation or combination quickly.
技巧：练习快速判断题目属于排列还是组合。

For example, the number of committees with at least 2 girls can also be found by subtracting committees with 0 or 1 girl from the total.

例如，至少 2 名女生的委员会数量也可以用总数减去包含 0 名或 1 名女生的委员会数量来得到。

C(9,3) – C(4,3) – C(5,1) × C(4,2) = 84 – 4 – 30 = 50

Both methods give the same answer, confirming the correctness.

两种方法得到相同答案，验证了正确性。

Published by TutorHao | Mathematics Revision Series | aleveler.com

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Counting Principles & Permutations and Combinations | 计数原理与排列组合