Permutation & Combination - Beginner Level: tricky variations BEGINNER

Level up your permutation & combination skills with this entry level practice. 20 beginner-level problems await in Worksheet 4 of 30. Focus area: tricky variations. Learn practice tests, exam preparation, competitive exams through systematic practice. Designed for entry-level learners seeking foundational concepts and basic patterns.

📝 Worksheet 4 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Beginner level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Permutation & Combination
Worksheet 4 of 30 (13% complete)

Question 1

How many distinct necklaces can be made with beads: 3 of color 1, 3 of color 2, 2 of color 3? (Rotations and reflections considered same)
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: For necklaces with identical beads, we use Burnside's Lemma.

Given distribution: [3, 3, 2]

Result: 2520 distinct necklaces.

Note: Full calculation requires summing over all rotation and reflection symmetries, which is complex for general cases.

Question 2

How many distinct necklaces can be made with beads: 3 of color 1, 4 of color 2, 2 of color 3? (Rotations and reflections considered same)
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: For necklaces with identical beads, we use Burnside's Lemma.

Given distribution: [3, 4, 2]

Result: 20160 distinct necklaces.

Note: Full calculation requires summing over all rotation and reflection symmetries, which is complex for general cases.

Question 3

How many numbers from 1 to 12 are divisible by 3 or 2?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Inclusion-Exclusion Principle - when counting elements in the union of sets, add individual counts and subtract overcounted intersections.

Formula: |A ∪ B| = |A| + |B| - |A ∩ B|

Given:
- Range: 1 to 12
- Divisors: 3 and 2

Step 1 - Count numbers divisible by 3:
Numbers divisible by 3 = ⌊12/3⌋ = 4
These are: 3, 6, 9, ..., 12

Step 2 - Count numbers divisible by 2:
Numbers divisible by 2 = ⌊12/2⌋ = 6
These are: 2, 4, 6, ..., 12

Step 3 - Count numbers divisible by BOTH 3 AND 2:
Numbers divisible by LCM(3,2) = 6
Count = ⌊12/6⌋ = 2
(These are counted twice in steps 1 and 2)

Step 4 - Apply Inclusion-Exclusion:
Total = (divisible by 3) + (divisible by 2) - (divisible by both)
= 4 + 6 - 2
= 8

Visualization (Venn Diagram concept):
- Circle A: divisible by 3 (4 numbers)
- Circle B: divisible by 2 (6 numbers)
- Intersection: divisible by both (2 numbers)
- Union: 8 numbers

Key Principle: Subtract the intersection to avoid double counting.

Extension to Three Sets:
|A ∪ B ∪ C| = |A| + |B| + |C| - |A ∩ B| - |B ∩ C| - |A ∩ C| + |A ∩ B ∩ C|

Common Application: Finding numbers NOT divisible by either = 12 - 8 = 4

Question 4

In how many ways can 5 consonants and 2 vowels be arranged in a row such that no two vowels are together?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Gap Method - used when certain items must be separated.

Strategy:
1. Arrange the items that don't have restrictions
2. Identify gaps where restricted items can be placed
3. Place restricted items in available gaps

Given:
- Consonants: 5
- Vowels: 2
- Constraint: No two vowels together

Step 1 - Arrange Consonants:
Arrange 5 consonants: 5! = 120 ways

Step 2 - Identify Gaps:
When 5 consonants are arranged: _ C _ C _ C _ ... _ C _
Number of gaps (including ends) = 6

Visual: If we have 5 consonants, we get 6 positions where vowels can go.

Step 3 - Place Vowels in Gaps:
Choose 2 gaps from 6 available gaps: C(6,2) = 15
Arrange 2 vowels in chosen gaps: 2! = 2

Step 4 - Apply Multiplication Principle:
Total arrangements = 120 × 15 × 2
= 120 × 15 × 2
= 3600

Key Technique: Gap method ensures no two restricted items are adjacent by placing them in gaps created by unrestricted items.

Verification: Check that 2 ≤ 6 (we need enough gaps).

Question 5

How many numbers from 1 to 9 are divisible by 2 or 5?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Inclusion-Exclusion Principle - when counting elements in the union of sets, add individual counts and subtract overcounted intersections.

Formula: |A ∪ B| = |A| + |B| - |A ∩ B|

Given:
- Range: 1 to 9
- Divisors: 2 and 5

Step 1 - Count numbers divisible by 2:
Numbers divisible by 2 = ⌊9/2⌋ = 4
These are: 2, 4, 6, ..., 8

Step 2 - Count numbers divisible by 5:
Numbers divisible by 5 = ⌊9/5⌋ = 1
These are: 5, 10, 15, ..., 5

Step 3 - Count numbers divisible by BOTH 2 AND 5:
Numbers divisible by LCM(2,5) = 10
Count = ⌊9/10⌋ = 0
(These are counted twice in steps 1 and 2)

Step 4 - Apply Inclusion-Exclusion:
Total = (divisible by 2) + (divisible by 5) - (divisible by both)
= 4 + 1 - 0
= 5

Visualization (Venn Diagram concept):
- Circle A: divisible by 2 (4 numbers)
- Circle B: divisible by 5 (1 numbers)
- Intersection: divisible by both (0 numbers)
- Union: 5 numbers

Key Principle: Subtract the intersection to avoid double counting.

Extension to Three Sets:
|A ∪ B ∪ C| = |A| + |B| + |C| - |A ∩ B| - |B ∩ C| - |A ∩ C| + |A ∩ B ∩ C|

Common Application: Finding numbers NOT divisible by either = 9 - 5 = 4

Question 6

How many 6-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 0 to 9 (with repetition allowed)?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Number formation with positional restrictions. The first digit cannot be 0 (otherwise it wouldn't be an 6-digit number).

Given:
- Number length: 6 digits
- Available digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (10 digits)
- Repetition: Allowed
- Constraint: First digit cannot be 0

Position-by-Position Analysis:

First digit (leftmost):
Cannot be 0 (would make it 5-digit number)
Choices: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 9 choices

Second digit:
Can be any digit including 0
Choices: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 10 choices

Third digit through 6th digit:
Each can be any digit including 0
Count: 10 choices each

Apply Multiplication Principle:
Total numbers = 9 × 10 × 10 × ... × 10 (5 times)
= 9 × 10^5
= 9 × 100000
= 900000

Alternative Verification:
- Smallest 6-digit number: 100000 = 100000
- Largest 6-digit number: 999999 = 999999
- Total count: 999999 - 100000 + 1 = 900000

Related Problems:
1. No repetition: 9 × P(9,5) = 9 × 9!/4!
2. Odd numbers only: 9 × 10^4 × 5 (last digit: 1,3,5,7,9)
3. Even numbers only:
- If last digit 0: 9 × 10^4 × 1
- If last digit 2,4,6,8: 8 × 10^4 × 4
- Total: 9 × 10^4 + 8 × 4 × 10^4

Key Principle: When forming numbers:
- First digit has special restriction (can't be 0)
- Handle positional constraints carefully
- Use multiplication principle for independent choices

Question 7

There are 4 gifts and 4 people. In how many ways can the gifts be placed such that no gift goes into its correct intended recipient?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Derangement - permutation where no element appears in its original position. Denoted as D(n) or !n.

Given:
- Number of items: 4
- Constraint: No item in its correct position

Derangement Formula:
D(n) = n! × [1 - 1/1! + 1/2! - 1/3! + ... + (-1)ⁿ/n!]

Or recursively: D(n) = (n-1)[D(n-1) + D(n-2)]

Step-by-Step Calculation:
D(0) = 1 (convention)
D(1) = 0 (one item must be in its position)
D(2) = 1 (only one swap possible)

For n ≥ 3, we use: D(n) = (n-1)[D(n-1) + D(n-2)]

Let's calculate:
D(0) = 1
D(1) = 0
D(2) = 1
D(3) = (3-1)[D(2) + D(1)] = 2 × [1 + 0] = 2
D(4) = (4-1)[D(3) + D(2)] = 3 × [2 + 1] = 9

Answer: D(4) = 9

Intuitive Understanding:
Total arrangements = 4! = 24
Derangements = 9
Probability of derangement ≈ 1/e ≈ 0.368 (for large n)

Real-World Application:
- Secret Santa where no one gets their own name
- Permutation ciphers in cryptography
- Hat-check problem in probability

Key Formula Memory Aid:
D(n) ≈ n!/e for large n (within 1 unit)
For 4: 24/e ≈ 9 ≈ 9

Common Error: Don't subtract n! - n, that's not derangement count.

Question 8

In how many ways can 8 people be divided into 2 equal teams of 4 each?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Group division where groups are indistinguishable (no labels like Team A, Team B).

Given:
- Total people: 8
- Group size: 4
- Number of groups: 2

Key Question: Are the groups distinguishable?
- If groups have labels (Team A, Team B): Groups are distinguishable
- If groups have no labels: Groups are indistinguishable (our case)

Strategy for Indistinguishable Groups:

Step 1 - Select first group:
Choose 4 people from 8: C(8,4)
C(8,4) = 8!/[4! × 4!] = 70

Step 2 - Remaining people form second group:
Remaining 4 people automatically form the other group: C(4,4) = 1

Step 3 - Remove overcounting:
Since groups are indistinguishable, we've counted each division twice.
(Selecting ABCD for group 1 and EFGH for group 2 is same as selecting EFGH for group 1 and ABCD for group 2)

Divide by 2! = 2

Calculation:
Total ways = C(8,4) / 2!
= 70 / 2
= 35

General Formula:
For dividing n items into k equal groups of size m each (where n = k×m):
Ways = C(n,m) × C(n-m,m) × ... × C(m,m) / k!
= n! / [(m!)^k × k!]

For our case:
= 8! / [(4!)^2 × 2!]
= 40320 / [24^2 × 2]
= 40320 / [576 × 2]
= 35

Contrast:
- Distinguishable groups (labeled teams): 70 ways
- Indistinguishable groups (unlabeled): 35 ways

Common Error: Forgetting to divide by k! when groups are indistinguishable.

Question 9

What is the rank of the word 'SMART' when all the letters are arranged in dictionary order?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Rank of a word in dictionary order - counting how many words come before it alphabetically.

Given word: SMART

Strategy:
1. For each position, count arrangements starting with letters smaller than the actual letter
2. Add these counts to find rank
3. The rank is 1 + (number of words before it)

Letters in alphabetical order: A M R S T

Step-by-Step Calculation:

Position 1 (current letter: S):
Available letters: A M R S T
If we place 'A' here: 24 arrangements possible
If we place 'M' here: 24 arrangements possible
If we place 'R' here: 24 arrangements possible
Subtotal arrangements before 'S': 72
Position 2 (current letter: M):
Available letters: A M R T
If we place 'A' here: 6 arrangements possible
Subtotal arrangements before 'M': 6
Position 3 (current letter: A):
Available letters: A R T
Position 4 (current letter: R):
Available letters: R T
Position 5 (current letter: T):
Available letters: T

Final Rank: 79

Verification Strategy:
1. Rank starts at 1 (not 0)
2. We count all words that come alphabetically before our word
3. Our word's rank = 1 + count of words before it

Key Principle:
- At each position, consider all possible smaller letters
- For each smaller letter, count permutations of remaining letters
- Account for repeated letters by dividing by their factorials

General Formula for Position Counting:
At position i, add: Σ (arrangements with smaller letter at position i)

Common Errors:
- Forgetting to start rank from 1
- Not accounting for repeated letters
- Counting arrangements after the word instead of before

Question 10

In how many ways can 10 distinct people be divided into 3 groups of sizes 6, 3, 1 (groups are unlabeled but have different sizes)?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Partitioning into groups of specified sizes. When group sizes are different, groups are automatically distinguishable by size.

Given:
- Total people: 10
- Group sizes: 6, 3, 1
- Groups are unlabeled (no names like Team A, Team B)

Formula:
$$\frac{n!}{n_1! \cdot n_2! \cdot ... \cdot n_k!}$$

Step 1 - Choose first group:
Choose 6 people from 10: C(10, 6) = 210

Step 2 - Choose second group:
From remaining 4 people, choose 3: C(4, 3) = 4

Continue for all groups:
C(10,6) = 210
C(4,3) = 4
C(1,1) = 1 (last group)

Step 3 - Multiply:
Total ways = 210 × 4 × 1 (last group)
= 840

Simplified formula:
= 10! / (6! × 3! × 1!)
= 3628800 / (720 × 6 × 1)
= 840

Key Insight: Since groups have different sizes, we don't divide by k! (they're naturally distinguishable by their sizes).

Contrast with equal groups:
- If groups were same size: would divide by k!
- Here, sizes differ: no division needed

Verification: Sum of group sizes = 10 = 10 ✓

Question 11

In how many ways can 6 distinct items be distributed into 4 distinct boxes? (Empty boxes are allowed)
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Distribution of distinct objects to distinct boxes - each object independently chooses a box.

Given:
- Distinct items: 6
- Distinct boxes: 4
- Empty boxes: Allowed

Strategy: Each item makes an independent choice of which box to go into.

Analysis:
- Item 1 can go into any of 4 boxes: 4 choices
- Item 2 can go into any of 4 boxes: 4 choices
- Item 3 can go into any of 4 boxes: 4 choices
- ...and so on for all 6 items

Formula: (number of boxes)^(number of items) = 4^6

Calculation:
Total ways = 4^6 = 4096

Key Distinction:
This is NOT a permutation or combination problem! It's a direct application of the multiplication principle.

Related Scenarios:
1. No empty boxes allowed (Surjection):
Use Inclusion-Exclusion: 4! × S(6,4)
where S(n,k) is the Stirling number of second kind

2. Identical items, distinct boxes:
This becomes a "stars and bars" problem: C(6+4-1, 4-1)

3. Distinct items, identical boxes (Partition):
Use Stirling numbers: Σ S(6,k) for k=1 to 4

Verification:
- With 1 box: answer should be 1 (all items in one box)
- With 6 boxes, one item: answer should be 6
- Our answer 4096 is reasonable: each item independently chooses from 4 options

Common Error: Don't use factorial or combination formulas here - items are making independent simultaneous choices.

Question 12

What is the rank of the word 'TIGER' when all the letters are arranged in dictionary order?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Rank of a word in dictionary order - counting how many words come before it alphabetically.

Given word: TIGER

Strategy:
1. For each position, count arrangements starting with letters smaller than the actual letter
2. Add these counts to find rank
3. The rank is 1 + (number of words before it)

Letters in alphabetical order: E G I R T

Step-by-Step Calculation:

Position 1 (current letter: T):
Available letters: E G I R T
If we place 'E' here: 24 arrangements possible
If we place 'G' here: 24 arrangements possible
If we place 'I' here: 24 arrangements possible
If we place 'R' here: 24 arrangements possible
Subtotal arrangements before 'T': 96
Position 2 (current letter: I):
Available letters: E G I R
If we place 'E' here: 6 arrangements possible
If we place 'G' here: 6 arrangements possible
Subtotal arrangements before 'I': 12
Position 3 (current letter: G):
Available letters: E G R
If we place 'E' here: 2 arrangements possible
Subtotal arrangements before 'G': 2
Position 4 (current letter: E):
Available letters: E R
Position 5 (current letter: R):
Available letters: R

Final Rank: 111

Verification Strategy:
1. Rank starts at 1 (not 0)
2. We count all words that come alphabetically before our word
3. Our word's rank = 1 + count of words before it

Key Principle:
- At each position, consider all possible smaller letters
- For each smaller letter, count permutations of remaining letters
- Account for repeated letters by dividing by their factorials

General Formula for Position Counting:
At position i, add: Σ (arrangements with smaller letter at position i)

Common Errors:
- Forgetting to start rank from 1
- Not accounting for repeated letters
- Counting arrangements after the word instead of before

Question 13

In how many ways can books be arranged on a shelf?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Linear permutation of n distinct objects = n! (n factorial)

Analysis:
- We need to arrange 6 distinct objects in a line
- For the first position: 6 choices
- For the second position: 5 choices (one already placed)
- For the third position: 4 choices
- And so on...

Formula Application:
Number of arrangements = 6! = 6 × 5 × 4 × ... × 2 × 1

Calculation:
6! = 720

Key Concept: The factorial function represents the number of ways to arrange n distinct objects in a sequence.

Common Mistake: Don't confuse permutation (arrangement matters) with combination (arrangement doesn't matter).

Question 14

In how many ways can 8 people be divided into 2 equal teams of 4 each?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Group division where groups are indistinguishable (no labels like Team A, Team B).

Given:
- Total people: 8
- Group size: 4
- Number of groups: 2

Key Question: Are the groups distinguishable?
- If groups have labels (Team A, Team B): Groups are distinguishable
- If groups have no labels: Groups are indistinguishable (our case)

Strategy for Indistinguishable Groups:

Step 1 - Select first group:
Choose 4 people from 8: C(8,4)
C(8,4) = 8!/[4! × 4!] = 70

Step 2 - Remaining people form second group:
Remaining 4 people automatically form the other group: C(4,4) = 1

Step 3 - Remove overcounting:
Since groups are indistinguishable, we've counted each division twice.
(Selecting ABCD for group 1 and EFGH for group 2 is same as selecting EFGH for group 1 and ABCD for group 2)

Divide by 2! = 2

Calculation:
Total ways = C(8,4) / 2!
= 70 / 2
= 35

General Formula:
For dividing n items into k equal groups of size m each (where n = k×m):
Ways = C(n,m) × C(n-m,m) × ... × C(m,m) / k!
= n! / [(m!)^k × k!]

For our case:
= 8! / [(4!)^2 × 2!]
= 40320 / [24^2 × 2]
= 40320 / [576 × 2]
= 35

Contrast:
- Distinguishable groups (labeled teams): 70 ways
- Indistinguishable groups (unlabeled): 35 ways

Common Error: Forgetting to divide by k! when groups are indistinguishable.

Question 15

In how many ways can 8 people be divided into 2 equal teams of 4 each?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Group division where groups are indistinguishable (no labels like Team A, Team B).

Given:
- Total people: 8
- Group size: 4
- Number of groups: 2

Key Question: Are the groups distinguishable?
- If groups have labels (Team A, Team B): Groups are distinguishable
- If groups have no labels: Groups are indistinguishable (our case)

Strategy for Indistinguishable Groups:

Step 1 - Select first group:
Choose 4 people from 8: C(8,4)
C(8,4) = 8!/[4! × 4!] = 70

Step 2 - Remaining people form second group:
Remaining 4 people automatically form the other group: C(4,4) = 1

Step 3 - Remove overcounting:
Since groups are indistinguishable, we've counted each division twice.
(Selecting ABCD for group 1 and EFGH for group 2 is same as selecting EFGH for group 1 and ABCD for group 2)

Divide by 2! = 2

Calculation:
Total ways = C(8,4) / 2!
= 70 / 2
= 35

General Formula:
For dividing n items into k equal groups of size m each (where n = k×m):
Ways = C(n,m) × C(n-m,m) × ... × C(m,m) / k!
= n! / [(m!)^k × k!]

For our case:
= 8! / [(4!)^2 × 2!]
= 40320 / [24^2 × 2]
= 40320 / [576 × 2]
= 35

Contrast:
- Distinguishable groups (labeled teams): 70 ways
- Indistinguishable groups (unlabeled): 35 ways

Common Error: Forgetting to divide by k! when groups are indistinguishable.

Question 16

A committee of 5 members is to be formed from 7 men and 5 women. In how many ways can this be done if the committee must have exactly 3 men and 2 women?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Combination with constraints - selection from multiple groups with specific requirements.

Given:
- Men available: 7
- Women available: 5
- Committee size: 5
- Required: 3 men and 2 women

Strategy: Select from each group independently, then multiply (Multiplication Principle).

Step 1 - Select Men:
Choose 3 men from 7 men = C(7,3)
C(7,3) = 7! / [3! × 4!] = 35

Step 2 - Select Women:
Choose 2 women from 5 women = C(5,2)
C(5,2) = 5! / [2! × 3!] = 10

Step 3 - Apply Multiplication Principle:
Total ways = C(7,3) × C(5,2)
= 35 × 10
= 350

Key Principle: When selecting from different independent groups with specific requirements from each:
- Calculate selections from each group separately
- Multiply the results

Common Error: Don't add the combinations - multiply them! Each selection from one group can be paired with each selection from the other.

Question 17

In how many ways can 8 people be divided into 2 equal teams of 4 each?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Group division where groups are indistinguishable (no labels like Team A, Team B).

Given:
- Total people: 8
- Group size: 4
- Number of groups: 2

Key Question: Are the groups distinguishable?
- If groups have labels (Team A, Team B): Groups are distinguishable
- If groups have no labels: Groups are indistinguishable (our case)

Strategy for Indistinguishable Groups:

Step 1 - Select first group:
Choose 4 people from 8: C(8,4)
C(8,4) = 8!/[4! × 4!] = 70

Step 2 - Remaining people form second group:
Remaining 4 people automatically form the other group: C(4,4) = 1

Step 3 - Remove overcounting:
Since groups are indistinguishable, we've counted each division twice.
(Selecting ABCD for group 1 and EFGH for group 2 is same as selecting EFGH for group 1 and ABCD for group 2)

Divide by 2! = 2

Calculation:
Total ways = C(8,4) / 2!
= 70 / 2
= 35

General Formula:
For dividing n items into k equal groups of size m each (where n = k×m):
Ways = C(n,m) × C(n-m,m) × ... × C(m,m) / k!
= n! / [(m!)^k × k!]

For our case:
= 8! / [(4!)^2 × 2!]
= 40320 / [24^2 × 2]
= 40320 / [576 × 2]
= 35

Contrast:
- Distinguishable groups (labeled teams): 70 ways
- Indistinguishable groups (unlabeled): 35 ways

Common Error: Forgetting to divide by k! when groups are indistinguishable.

Question 18

In how many ways can 6 distinct items be distributed into 3 distinct boxes? (Empty boxes are allowed)
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Distribution of distinct objects to distinct boxes - each object independently chooses a box.

Given:
- Distinct items: 6
- Distinct boxes: 3
- Empty boxes: Allowed

Strategy: Each item makes an independent choice of which box to go into.

Analysis:
- Item 1 can go into any of 3 boxes: 3 choices
- Item 2 can go into any of 3 boxes: 3 choices
- Item 3 can go into any of 3 boxes: 3 choices
- ...and so on for all 6 items

Formula: (number of boxes)^(number of items) = 3^6

Calculation:
Total ways = 3^6 = 729

Key Distinction:
This is NOT a permutation or combination problem! It's a direct application of the multiplication principle.

Related Scenarios:
1. No empty boxes allowed (Surjection):
Use Inclusion-Exclusion: 3! × S(6,3)
where S(n,k) is the Stirling number of second kind

2. Identical items, distinct boxes:
This becomes a "stars and bars" problem: C(6+3-1, 3-1)

3. Distinct items, identical boxes (Partition):
Use Stirling numbers: Σ S(6,k) for k=1 to 3

Verification:
- With 1 box: answer should be 1 (all items in one box)
- With 6 boxes, one item: answer should be 6
- Our answer 729 is reasonable: each item independently chooses from 3 options

Common Error: Don't use factorial or combination formulas here - items are making independent simultaneous choices.

Question 19

How many 5-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 0 to 9 (with repetition allowed)?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Number formation with positional restrictions. The first digit cannot be 0 (otherwise it wouldn't be an 5-digit number).

Given:
- Number length: 5 digits
- Available digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (10 digits)
- Repetition: Allowed
- Constraint: First digit cannot be 0

Position-by-Position Analysis:

First digit (leftmost):
Cannot be 0 (would make it 4-digit number)
Choices: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 9 choices

Second digit:
Can be any digit including 0
Choices: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 10 choices

Third digit through 5th digit:
Each can be any digit including 0
Count: 10 choices each

Apply Multiplication Principle:
Total numbers = 9 × 10 × 10 × ... × 10 (4 times)
= 9 × 10^4
= 9 × 10000
= 90000

Alternative Verification:
- Smallest 5-digit number: 10000 = 10000
- Largest 5-digit number: 99999 = 99999
- Total count: 99999 - 10000 + 1 = 90000

Related Problems:
1. No repetition: 9 × P(9,4) = 9 × 9!/5!
2. Odd numbers only: 9 × 10^3 × 5 (last digit: 1,3,5,7,9)
3. Even numbers only:
- If last digit 0: 9 × 10^3 × 1
- If last digit 2,4,6,8: 8 × 10^3 × 4
- Total: 9 × 10^3 + 8 × 4 × 10^3

Key Principle: When forming numbers:
- First digit has special restriction (can't be 0)
- Handle positional constraints carefully
- Use multiplication principle for independent choices

Question 20

How many 7-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 0 to 9 (with repetition allowed)?
Step-by-Step Solution:

Concept: Number formation with positional restrictions. The first digit cannot be 0 (otherwise it wouldn't be an 7-digit number).

Given:
- Number length: 7 digits
- Available digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (10 digits)
- Repetition: Allowed
- Constraint: First digit cannot be 0

Position-by-Position Analysis:

First digit (leftmost):
Cannot be 0 (would make it 6-digit number)
Choices: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 9 choices

Second digit:
Can be any digit including 0
Choices: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Count: 10 choices

Third digit through 7th digit:
Each can be any digit including 0
Count: 10 choices each

Apply Multiplication Principle:
Total numbers = 9 × 10 × 10 × ... × 10 (6 times)
= 9 × 10^6
= 9 × 1000000
= 9000000

Alternative Verification:
- Smallest 7-digit number: 1000000 = 1000000
- Largest 7-digit number: 9999999 = 9999999
- Total count: 9999999 - 1000000 + 1 = 9000000

Related Problems:
1. No repetition: 9 × P(9,6) = 9 × 9!/3!
2. Odd numbers only: 9 × 10^5 × 5 (last digit: 1,3,5,7,9)
3. Even numbers only:
- If last digit 0: 9 × 10^5 × 1
- If last digit 2,4,6,8: 8 × 10^5 × 4
- Total: 9 × 10^5 + 8 × 4 × 10^5

Key Principle: When forming numbers:
- First digit has special restriction (can't be 0)
- Handle positional constraints carefully
- Use multiplication principle for independent choices
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