Question

In the selection of the first, second and third place winners in a cookie-baking contest and example of a combination or a permutation

Answer 1

Is first place different from second?

Answer 2

No :)

Answer 3

Uh, sure about that?

Answer 4

I have no idea

Answer 5

I'm asking if there's a distinction between someone who wins first place and someone who doesn't. First person gets the gold, second gets silver, and so on.

Is gold the same as silver?

Answer 6

No! sorry

Answer 7

So if person A wins first, and person B wins second, then that's not the same as B winning first and A winning second, right?

Answer 8

Yes.

Answer 9

Okay, so the order matters. AB is different from BA. These are permutations.

If first place meant the same as second place (for example, say you get a trophy for participating), then AB really is no different from BA. These are combinations.

See the difference?

Answer 10

Yes, thank you.

Answer 11

yw