EXAMPLE 1.5.11

Homer, Gomer, Plato, Euclid, Socrates, Aristotle, Homerina and Gomerina form the board of directors of the Lawyer and Poodle

Admirers Club. They will choose from amongst themselves a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. No person will hold more than

one position. How many different outcomes are possible?

A. 336

B. 24

C. 512

D. 21

SOLUTION

Note that we have already solved this problem, in Unit 3 Module 1, using the Fundamental Counting Principle. However, it is also possible to solve this problem using the permutation formula, since the situation involves choosing three people from a set of 8 people and arranging them according to who gets which position. The solution is the number of permutations of 8 things taken 3 at a time.