Chapter 17
Counting Techniques and Probability
Counting techniques and probability go hand-in-hand. You need the counting techniques to be able to determine how many ways an event can occur, and probability is one of the most common uses of permutations and combinations (counting techniques) in the sciences.
In this chapter, you find many examples of the ways that counting techniques make life much easier — and your answers more accurate. And you see probability in action using these computed numbers.
The Problems You’ll Work On
In this chapter, you’ll see how to count and how to use the results in the following ways:
Multiplying the choices together with the multiplication property
Counting the number of arrangements of a select few, chosen from the many, using permutations
Figuring out how many groupings are possible if you just want some — not all — of the choices, using combinations
Applying the formula for combinations in the Binomial Theorem
Solving basic probability problems ...
