{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T10:55:22+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-03-26T10:55:22+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T17:55:29+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Math","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33720"},"slug":"math","categoryId":33720},{"name":"Pre-Calculus","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33727"},"slug":"pre-calculus","categoryId":33727}],"title":"Counting Techniques for Pre-Calculus","strippedTitle":"counting techniques for pre-calculus","slug":"counting-techniques-for-pre-calculus","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Counting the number of ways to perform a task is fairly simple — until the number of choices gets too large. Here are three counting techniques used in pre-calc","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<p>Counting the number of ways to perform a task is fairly simple — until the number of choices gets too large. Here are three counting techniques used in pre-calculus:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Permutations:</b> How many ways you can choose <i>r</i> things from a total of <i>n</i> things when the order of your choices matters</p>\n </li>\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Combinations:</b> How many ways you can choose <i>r</i> things from a total of <i>n</i> things when the order of your choices doesn’t matter</p>\n </li>\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Multiplication principle:</b> How many different possibilities exist if you choose 1 from <i>a </i>things, 1 from <i>b</i> things, 1 from <i>c</i> things, 1 from <i>d</i> things, and so on.</p>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p>Use the following formulas for these counting techniques:</p>\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/440935.image0.png\" width=\"206\" height=\"140\" alt=\"image0.png\"/>","description":"<p>Counting the number of ways to perform a task is fairly simple — until the number of choices gets too large. Here are three counting techniques used in pre-calculus:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Permutations:</b> How many ways you can choose <i>r</i> things from a total of <i>n</i> things when the order of your choices matters</p>\n </li>\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Combinations:</b> How many ways you can choose <i>r</i> things from a total of <i>n</i> things when the order of your choices doesn’t matter</p>\n </li>\n <li><p class=\"first-para\"><b>Multiplication principle:</b> How many different possibilities exist if you choose 1 from <i>a </i>things, 1 from <i>b</i> things, 1 from <i>c</i> things, 1 from <i>d</i> things, and so on.</p>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p>Use the following formulas for these counting techniques:</p>\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/440935.image0.png\" width=\"206\" height=\"140\" alt=\"image0.png\"/>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":8985,"name":"Mary Jane Sterling","slug":"mary-jane-sterling","description":" <p><b>Mary Jane Sterling</b> is the author of <i>Algebra I For Dummies, Algebra Workbook For Dummies,</i> and many other <i>For Dummies</i> 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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Counting Techniques for Pre-Calculus

By: Mary Jane Sterling and

Updated: 03-26-2016

From The Book: Pre-Calculus: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)

Pre-Calculus: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)

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Counting the number of ways to perform a task is fairly simple — until the number of choices gets too large. Here are three counting techniques used in pre-calculus:

Permutations: How many ways you can choose r things from a total of n things when the order of your choices matters
Combinations: How many ways you can choose r things from a total of n things when the order of your choices doesn’t matter
Multiplication principle: How many different possibilities exist if you choose 1 from a things, 1 from b things, 1 from c things, 1 from d things, and so on.

Use the following formulas for these counting techniques:

About This Article

This article is from the book:

Pre-Calculus: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice) ,

About the book author:

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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