RE: [PHP] Re: OT Math Question

Hi, The answer actually depends on whether the order is important (ie if it matters if the user selects from x from the first menu and y from the second, and if this is deemed to be identical to selecting y from the first and x from the second). If the order is important, then the number of permutations is (dp_items)!/(dp_items-dp_menu)! where ! is the factorial symbol eg 6!=6*5*4*3*2*1 In the example below, this gives 5!/1!=120 If the order is unimportant, the the number of combinations is (dp_items)!/((dp_menu)!(dp_items-dp_menu)!) In the example below, this gives 5!/4!1! = 5 For the lottery below, the answer is actually 56!/6!50! = 32468436:1 (which is pretty darn close to zero!) :-) Nigel Russell Linnsell Science Software -----Original Message----- From: Paul A. Procacci [mailto:procacci@procacci.net] Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2001 5:44 PM To: php-general@lists.php.net Subject: [PHP] Re: OT Math Question Well, If I'm right. The total number of posible combinations in the NJ state lottery, assuming there are, say, 56 numbers is var total = 56; total*(total-1)*(total-2)*(total-3)*(total-4)*(total-5) == 23377273920:1 Now that assuming one number was pulled from the pot and the same number didn't exists in the pot. Now, please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the solution to rm's quesion is as follows: var dp_menus = 4 // Number of drop-down menus var dp_menus = 5 // Number of dp_items per menu dp_menus^dp_items == 1024:1 //Total number of possibilities Does that look right? I hope this helps Paul. Rm wrote: > > if i have four drop down menus with five values in > each, and the values are the same for each of the four > drop down menus, how many variations are there without > duplicates, any dups, > > I though the formula was 5 to the 4th power minus 5, > this can't possibly be right. > > math impaired and trying to fake it.... > > rm > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, e-mail: php-general-unsubscribe@lists.php.net For additional commands, e-mail: php-general-help@lists.php.net To contact the list administrators, e-mail: php-list-admin@lists.php.net