Math  /  Discrete

QuestionEvaluate the following expression. Express your answer as a fraction or a decimal number rounded to four decimal places. 10P810C4\frac{{ }_{10} P_{8}}{{ }_{10} C_{4}}
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Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? We need to calculate the fraction of the number of permutations of 10 items taken 8 at a time divided by the number of combinations of 10 items taken 4 at a time. Watch out! Don't mix up permutations and combinations!
Remember, order matters for permutations, but not for combinations.

STEP 2

1. Calculate the Permutation
2. Calculate the Combination
3. Calculate the Fraction

STEP 3

Let's **start** with the **permutation**!
We're looking at 10P8_{10}P_8, which means the number of ways to arrange 8 items out of a set of 10, where the order *does* matter.

STEP 4

The **formula** for permutations is nPr=n!(nr)!_{n}P_r = \frac{n!}{(n-r)!}.
In our case, n=10n = \textbf{10} and r=8r = \textbf{8}, so we have 10P8=10!(108)!_{10}P_8 = \frac{10!}{(10-8)!}.

STEP 5

This **simplifies** to 10P8=10!2!=1098765432121_{10}P_8 = \frac{10!}{2!} = \frac{10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7 \cdot 6 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1}{2 \cdot 1}.
We can **cancel out** the 212 \cdot 1 in the numerator and denominator by multiplying both by 12\frac{1}{2}, giving us 109876543=1,814,40010 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7 \cdot 6 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 = \textbf{1,814,400}.
So, there are **1,814,400** ways to arrange 8 items out of 10.

STEP 6

Now, let's **tackle** the **combination**!
We have 10C4_{10}C_4, which represents the number of ways to choose 4 items out of 10, where the order *doesn't* matter.

STEP 7

The **formula** for combinations is nCr=n!r!(nr)!_{n}C_r = \frac{n!}{r!(n-r)!}.
Here, n=10n = \textbf{10} and r=4r = \textbf{4}, so 10C4=10!4!(104)!=10!4!6!_{10}C_4 = \frac{10!}{4!(10-4)!} = \frac{10!}{4!6!}.

STEP 8

Let's **break this down**: 10!4!6!=10987654321(4321)(654321)\frac{10!}{4!6!} = \frac{10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7 \cdot 6 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1}{(4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1)(6 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1)}.
We can **cancel out** the 6543216 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1 from both the numerator and denominator by multiplying both by 16!\frac{1}{6!}, which **simplifies** to 109874321\frac{10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7}{4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1}.

STEP 9

We can **simplify** further: 109874321=504024=210\frac{10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7}{4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1} = \frac{5040}{24} = \textbf{210}.
There are **210** ways to choose 4 items out of 10.

STEP 10

Finally, we need to **calculate** the **fraction**: 10P810C4\frac{_{10}P_8}{_{10}C_4}.
We already calculated the **permutation** 10P8=1,814,400_{10}P_8 = \textbf{1,814,400} and the **combination** 10C4=210_{10}C_4 = \textbf{210}.

STEP 11

So, the **fraction** is 1,814,400210=8,640\frac{1,814,400}{210} = \textbf{8,640}.

STEP 12

The final answer is **8,640**.

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