Determine whether the scenario below involves permutations or combinations.

A group of seven actors are competing to earn one of three roles in a TV show: Michael, George, and Oscar. How many unique arrangements are possible?

Question

Determine whether the scenario below involves permutations or combinations.

A group of seven actors are competing to earn one of three roles in a TV show: Michael, George, and Oscar. How many unique arrangements are possible?

anonymous · Answer

if it does not matter who gets what role, then its a combination...
but if it does matter who gets what role, then its permutation...

in this case, do you think it matters if michael gets the lead role or george gets the lead role?

anonymous · Answer

7 choose 3, so formula for combination is n!/r!(n-r)! or 7!/3!4! which is 35.  It shouldn't matter who gets the role.