Question

What is the difference between permutations and combinations?

Answer 1

Combinatorics is basically a way to avoid counting, so if you have like 6 red marbles, 4 blue marbles, how many combinations are possible if all four blue marbles can go with each red marble, you would set it up as red - 4 blue, basically then you would just need to do 6 x 4 = 24.

And permutations is a set of objects. Like determining how many ways 5 kids can line up, so 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.