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2.4.3: Combinations- Involving Several Sets

  • Page ID
    165952
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    Learning Objectives

    In this section you will learn to

    1. count the number of items selected from more than one set
    2. count the number of items selected when there are restrictions on the selections

    So far we have solved the basic combination problem of \(\mathrm{r}\) objects chosen from n different objects. Now we will consider certain variations of this problem.

    Example \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    How many five-people committees consisting of 2 men and 3 women can be chosen from a total of 4 men and 4 women?

    Solution

    We list 4 men and 4 women as follows:

    \[M_1M_2M_3M_4W_1W_2W_3W_4 \nonumber \]

    Since we want 5-people committees consisting of 2 men and 3 women, we'll first form all possible two-man committees and all possible three-woman committees. Clearly there are 4C2 = 6 two-man committees, and 4C3 = 4 three-woman committees, we list them as follows:

    2-Man Committees 3-Woman Committees

    \[\begin{array}{l}
    \mathrm{M}_{1} \mathrm{M}_{2} \\
    \mathrm{M}_{1} \mathrm{M}_{3} \\
    \mathrm{M}_{1} \mathrm{M}_{4} \\
    \mathrm{M}_{2} \mathrm{M}_{3} \\
    \mathrm{M}_{2} \mathrm{M}_{4} \\
    \mathrm{M}_{3} \mathrm{M}_{4}
    \end{array} \nonumber \]

    \[\begin{array}{l}
    \mathrm{W}_{1} \mathrm{W}_{2} \mathrm{W}_{3} \\
    \mathrm{W}_{1} \mathrm{W}_{2} \mathrm{W}_{4} \\
    \mathrm{W}_{1} \mathrm{W}_{3} \mathrm{W}_{4} \\
    \mathrm{W}_{2} \mathrm{W}_{3} \mathrm{W}_{4}
    \end{array} \nonumber \]

    For every 2-man committee there are four 3-woman committees that can be chosen to make a 5-person committee. If we choose \(M_1M_2\) as our 2-man committee, then we can choose any of \(W_1W_2W_3\), \(W_1W_2W_4\), \(W_1W_3W_4\), or \(W_2W_3W_4\) as our 3-woman committees. As a result, we get

    \[ \boxed{M_1M_2}W_1W_2W_3, \boxed{M_1M_2} W_1W_2W_4, \boxed{M_1M_2} W_1W_3W_4, \boxed{M_1M_2} W_2W_3W_4 \nonumber \]

    Similarly, if we choose \(M_1M_3\) as our 2-man committee, then, again, we can choose any of \(W_1W_2W_3\), \(W_1W_2W_4\), \(W_1W_3W_4\), or \(W_2W_3W_4\) as our 3-woman committees.

    \[\boxed{M_1M_3}W_1W_2W_3, \boxed{M_1M_3} W_1W_2W_4, \boxed{M_1M_3}W_1W_3W_4, \boxed{M_1M_3}W_2W_3W_4 \nonumber \]

    And so on.

    Since there are six 2-man committees, and for every 2-man committee there are four 3-woman committees, there are altogether \(6 \cdot 4 = 24\) five-people committees.

    In essence, we are applying the multiplication axiom to the different combinations.

    Example \(\PageIndex{2}\)

    A high school club consists of 4 freshmen, 5 sophomores, 5 juniors, and 6 seniors. How many ways can a committee of 4 people be chosen that includes

    1. One student from each class?
    2. All juniors?
    3. Two freshmen and 2 seniors?
    4. No freshmen?
    5. At least three seniors?
    Solution

    a. Applying the multiplication axiom to the combinations involved, we get

    ( 4C1 ) ( 5C1 ) ( 5C1 ) ( 6C1 ) = 600

    b. We are choosing all 4 members from the 5 juniors, and none from the others.

    5C4 = 5

    c. 4C2 \(\cdot\) 6C2 = 90

    d. Since we don't want any freshmen on the committee, we need to choose all members from the remaining 16. That is

    16C4 = 1820

    e. Of the 4 people on the committee, we want at least three seniors. This can be done in two ways. We could have three seniors, and one non-senior, or all four seniors.

    ( 6C3 ) ( 14C1 ) + 6C4 = 295

    Example \(\PageIndex{3}\)

    How many five-letter word sequences consisting of 2 vowels and 3 consonants can be formed from the letters of the word INTRODUCE?

    Solution

    First we select a group of five letters consisting of 2 vowels and 3 consonants.
    Since there are 4 vowels and 5 consonants, we have

    ( 4C2 ) ( 5C3 )

    Since our next task is to make word sequences out of these letters, we multiply these by 5!.

    ( 4C2 ) ( 5C3 ) ( 5! ) = 7200.

    Example \(\PageIndex{4}\)

    A standard deck of playing cards has 52 cards consisting of 4 suits each with 13 cards. In how many different ways can a 5-card hand consisting of four cards of one suit and one of another be drawn?

    Solution

    We will do the problem using the following steps.
    Step 1. Select a suit.
    Step 2. Select four cards from this suit.
    Step 3. Select another suit.
    Step 4. Select a card from that suit.

    Applying the multiplication axiom, we have

    Ways of selecting the first suit Ways of selecting 4 cards from this suit Ways of selecting the next suit Ways of selecting a card from that suit
    4C1 13C4 3C1 13C1

    ( 4C1 ) ( 13C4 ) ( 3C1 ) ( 13C1 ) = 111,540.

    A STANDARD DECK OF 52 PLAYING CARDS

    As in the previous example, many examples and homework problems in this book refer to a standard deck of 52 playing cards. Before we end this section, we take a minute to describe a standard deck of playing cards, as some readers may not be familiar with this.

    A standard deck of 52 playing cards has 4 suits with 13 cards in each suit.

    7.6DeckCards.png

    Each suit is associated with a color, either black (spades, clubs) or red (diamonds, hearts)

    Each suit contains 13 denominations (or values) for cards:

    nine numbers 2, 3, 4, …., 10 and Jack(J), Queen (Q), King (K), Ace (A).

    The Jack, Queen and King are called “face cards” because they have pictures on them. Therefore a standard deck has 12 face cards: (3 values JQK ) x (4 suits ♦♥♠ ♣ )

    We can visualize the 52 cards by the following display

    Suit Color Values (Denominations)
    ♦ Diamonds Red 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
    ♥ Hearts Red 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
    ♠ Spades Black 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A
    ♣ Clubs Black 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K A

    Exercises

    Following problems involve combinations from several different sets.

    1. How many 5-people committees consisting of three boys and two girls can be chosen from a group of four boys and four girls?
    1. A club has 4 men, 5 women, 8 boys and 10 girls as members. In how many ways can a group of 2 men, 3 women, 4 boys and 4 girls be chosen?
    1. How many 4-people committees chosen from 4 men and 6 women will have at least 3 men?
    1. A batch contains 10 transistors of which three are defective. If three are chosen, in how many ways can they be selected with two defective?
    1. In how many ways can five counters labeled A, B, C, D and E at a store be staffed by two men and three women chosen from a group of four men and six women?
    1. How many 4-letter word sequences consisting of two vowels and two consonants can be made from the letters of the word PHOENIX if no letter is repeated?

    Three marbles are chosen from an urn that contains 5 red, 4 white, and 3 blue marbles. How many samples of the following type are possible?

    1. All three white.
    1. Two blue and one white
    1. One of each color.
    1. All three of the same color.
    1. At least two red.
    1. None red.

    The following problems involve combinations from several different sets.

    Five coins are chosen from a bag that contains 4 dimes, 5 nickels, and 6 pennies. How many samples of five coins of the following types are possible?

    1. At least four nickels.
    1. No pennies.
    1. Five of a kind.
    1. Four of a kind.
    1. Two of one kind and two of another kind.
    1. Three of one kind and two of another kind.

    Find the number of different ways draw a 5-card hand from a deck to have the following combinations.

    1. Three face cards.
    1. A heart flush (all hearts).
    1. Two hearts and three diamonds
    1. Two cards of one suit, and three of another suit.
    1. Two kings and three queesns.
    1. 2 cards of one value and 3 of another value

    The party affiliation of the 100 United States Senators in the 114th Congress, January 2015, was:

    44 Democrats, 54 Republicans, and 2 Independents.

    1. In how many ways could a 10 person committee be selected if it is to contain 4 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 1 Independent?
    1. In how many different ways could a 10 person committee be selected with 6 or 7 Republicans and the Democrats (with no Independents)?

    The 100 United States Senators in the 114th Congress, January 2015, included 80 men and 20 women. Suppose a committee senators is working on legislation about wage discrimination by gender.

    1. In how many ways could a 12 person committee be selected to contain equal numbers of men and women.
    1. In how many ways could a 6 person committee be selected to contain fewer women than men?

    Jorge has 6 rock songs, 7 rap songs and 4 country songs that he likes to listen to while he exercises. He randomly selects six (6) of these songs to create a playlist to listen to today while he exercises.

    How many different playlists of 6 songs can be selected that satisfy each of the following: (We care which songs are selected to be on the playlist, but not what order they are selected or listed in.)

    1. Playlist has 2 songs of each type
    1. Playlist has no country songs
    1. Playlist has 3 rocks, 2 raps, and 1 country song
    1. Playlist has 3 or 4 rock songs and all the rest are rap songs

     


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