What is the difference between a permutation and a combinati

What is the difference between a permutation and a combination? What are some practical examples of when you would use each?

Solution

The greatest difference between the two is that permutations are concerned with the order of the items in a given set, where combinations are not.

For example. combination could be used to find how many ways five of eight students can be chosen to go on a field trip to the movies. (We are only concerned with the students, not their particular arrangement). With a permutation, we could figure out how many ways these students can be arranged to sit by one another at the movie. (Here, order is important).