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eSamuels Inner circle 3085 Posts |
Despite this probably being a simple equation, this stuff just makes my head hurt!
If I offer someone 6 colored pens and have them choose and use one to color one of 6 items and then take one of the remaining 5 pens to color another of the remaining 6 items, and so on and so forth, so that all 6 pens have been used, each of which colors a different one of 6 items....what is the total number of combined possibilities (items/colors)? Thanks in advance to anyone who can do the math! e |
LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
720 (6 factorial).
Although the order doesn't really matter, conceptually, it's probably easiest to think of it sequentially. The "first" pen can be used on any of the 6 items. For each of those 6 possibilities, the second pen can be used on any of the 5 remaining items, bringing us up to 30 combinations. For each of those 30 combinations, the third pen can be used on any of the 4 remaining items, and so on, until the last pen's "choice" is competely determined. 6x5x4x3x2x1 = 720.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
eSamuels Inner circle 3085 Posts |
Thanks so much for your help.
Funny thing is, I thought that was the equation, but then decided that it couldn't possibly be that simple! What's that old saying about playing Trivial Pursuit - 'your first answer is (more) likely to be correct?' Cheers, e |
S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
Despite Lobo being a lawyer, he knows a lot about a lot of things. Even math.
Yes, 6! (= 720). |
LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
High praise, when S2000 says you know a lot about math! Of course, he means "a lot" by normal people standards, not by S2000 standards. Still, I'll take it.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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