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jim441
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jim441
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jim441
Ques: we have to make a reading list of 4 from 5 novels and 3 articles such that we have 2 novels and 2 articles.

How are we going to solve in both the cases when order matters and order doesn't matter?
Order doesn't ever matter in that question.

You just find how many sets of two novels and sets of two articles you can choose and multiply the number of sets of novels by the numbers of sets of books.

All I want to know is if I multiply 5C2 and 3C2, Am I considering all the ordered pairs??
You are considering all the pairs, but they are not ordered. They are unordered combinations.
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Hi jim441,

The 'style' of the question that you are asking about heavily implies that you are dealing with a COMBINATION question (if you are forming groups of books/articles to read, then the order in which you read them does not matter). In this situation, the proper calculation would be:

(5c2)(3c2)

IF you were dealing with a situation in which the order of the items DID matter, then the prompt would almost certainly include information to define those limitations. For example, it might state, "how many arrangements of books/articles can be made if the two novels are read first and last?"

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Here's a playlist that you may find helpful in order to ace Permutation and Combination Qs:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... nASu4rT5Dh
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Order doesn't ever matter in that question.

You just find how many sets of two novels and sets of two articles you can choose and multiply the number of sets of novels by the numbers of sets of books.

All I want to know is if I multiply 5C2 and 3C2, Am I considering all the ordered pairs??
You are considering all the pairs, but they are not ordered. They are unordered combinations.

I still dont understand the concept.
Check this question out : https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-how-many- ... 85707.html

In the above question, by multiplying we have consiered all the ordered pairs.
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I still dont understand the concept.
Check this question out : in-how-many-different-ways-can-a-group-of-8-people-be-divide-85707.html

In the above question, by multiplying we have consiered all the ordered pairs.
Actually, the pairs are not ordered in that question either.

This post could help you to understand why.

GMAT permutations and combinations: Which One to Use?

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