Finite Math For Dummies
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The factorial operation says to multiply the designated number by every positive integer smaller than that number.

n! = n (n – 1) (n – 2) 3 2 1

When using the operation in the formulas for the number of permutations or combinations of n things taken k at a time, factorial values need to be inserted into the numerator and denominator of the fraction. The first sixteen factorial values are given here. And, by definition, 0! = 1.

n n! n n!
1 1 9 362,880
2 2 10 3,628,800
3 6 11 39,916,800
4 24 12 479,001,600
5 120 13 6,227,020,800
6 720 14 87,178,291,200
7 5,040 15 1,307,674,368,000
8 40,320 16 20,922,789,888,000

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Mary Jane Sterling is the author of Algebra I For Dummies, Algebra Workbook For Dummies, and many other For Dummies books. She taught at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois for more than 30 years, teaching algebra, business calculus, geometry, and finite mathematics.

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