Permutation & Combination — CAT Previous-Year Questions
64 previous-year questions on Permutation & Combination from CAT, with full solutions. Practise free — check answers as you go; sign in to save your progress.
Permutation & Combination · CAT PYQs
P, Q, R and S are four towns. One can travel between P and Q along 3 direct paths, between Q and S along 4 direct paths, and between P and R along 4 direct paths. There is no direct path between P and S, while there are few direct paths between Q and R, and between R and S. One can travel from P to S either via Q, or via R, or via Q followed by R, respectively, in exactly 62 possible ways. One can also travel from Q to R either directly, or via P, or via S, in exactly 27 possible ways. Then, the number of direct paths between Q and R is
The number of all positive integers up to 500 with non-repeating digits is
After two successive increments, Gopal's salary became 187.5% of his initial salary. If the percentage of salary increase in the second increment was twice of that in the first increment, then the percentage of salary increase in the first increment was
The number of all natural numbers up to 1000 with non-repeating digits is:
The number of ways of distributing 20 identical balloons among 4 children such that each child gets some balloons but no child gets an odd number of balloons, is
The number of integers greater than 2000 that can be formed with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, using each digit at most once, is
The arithmetic mean of all the distinct numbers that can be obtained by rearranging the digits in 1421, including itself, is
The number of groups of three or more distinct numbers that can be chosen from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 so that the groups always include 3 and 5, while 7 and 8 are never included together is
The number of ways of distributing 15 identical balloons, 6 identical pencils and 3 identical erasers among 3 children, such that each child gets at least four balloons and one pencil, is
A four-digit number is formed by using only the digits 1, 2 and 3 such that both 2 and 3 appear at least once. The number of all such four-digit numbers is
How many 4-digit numbers, each greater than 1000 and each having all four digits distinct, are there with 7 coming before 3?
How many integers in the set {100, 101, 102, ..., 999} have at least one digit repeated?
With rectangular axes of coordinates, the number of paths from (1, 1) to (8, 10) via (4, 6), where each step from any point (x, y) is either to (x, y + 1) or to (x + 1, y), is
How many numbers with two or more digits can be formed with the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, so that in every such number, each digit is used at most once and the digits appear in the ascending order?
In a tournament, there are 43 junior level and 51 senior level participants. Each pair of juniors play one match. Each pair of seniors play one match. There is no junior versus senior match. The number of girl versus girl matches in junior level is 153, while the number of boy versus boy matches in senior level is 276. The number of matches a boy plays against a girl is
The number of solutions (x, y, z) to the equation x – y – z = 25, where x, y, and z are positive integers such that x ≤ 40, y ≤ 12, and z ≤ 12 is
Let AB, CD, EF, GH, and JK be five diameters of a circle with center at O. In how many ways can three points be chosen out of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, and O so as to form a triangle?
In how many ways can 7 identical erasers be distributed among 4 kids in such a way that each kid gets at least one eraser but nobody gets more than 3 erasers?
In how many ways can 8 identical pens be distributed among Amal, Bimal, and Kamal so that Amal gets at least 1 pen, Bimal gets at least 2 pens, and Kamal gets at least 3 pens?
How many four digit numbers, which are divisible by 6, can be formed using the digits 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, such that no digit is used more than once and 0 does not occur in the left-most position?
Directions for next 2 questions:
The figure below shows the plan of a town. The streets are at right angles to each other. A rectangular park (P) is situated inside the town with a diagonal road running through it. There is also a prohibited region (D) in the town.
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Neelam rides her bicycle from her house at A to her office at B, taking the shortest path. Then the number of possible shortest paths that she can choose is
Directions for next 2 questions:
The figure below shows the plan of a town. The streets are at right angles to each other. A rectangular park (P) is situated inside the town with a diagonal road running through it. There is also a prohibited region (D) in the town.
Neelam rides her bicycle from her house at A to her club at C, via B taking the shortest path. Then the number of possible shortest paths that she can choose is
Directions for next 2 questions:
The figure below shows the plan of a town. The streets are at right angles to each other. A rectangular park (P) is situated inside the town with a diagonal road running through it. There is also a prohibited region (D) in the town.
How many integers, greater than 999 but not greater than 4000, can be formed with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, if repetition of digits is allowed?
Directions for next 2 questions:
The figure below shows the plan of a town. The streets are at right angles to each other. A rectangular park (P) is situated inside the town with a diagonal road running through it. There is also a prohibited region (D) in the town.
What is the number of distinct terms in the expansion of (a + b + c)20?
Answer the next 2 questions based on the information given below.
Let S be the set of all pairs (i, j) where 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n and n ≥ 4. Any two distinct members of S are called “friends” if they have one constituent of the pairs in common and “enemies” otherwise. For example, if n = 4, then S = {(1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4), (3, 4)}. Here, (1, 2) and (1, 3) are friends, (1, 2) and (2, 3) are also friends, but (1, 4) and (2, 3) are enemies.
For general n, how many enemies will each member of S have?
Answer the next 2 questions based on the information given below.
Let S be the set of all pairs (i, j) where 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n and n ≥ 4. Any two distinct members of S are called “friends” if they have one constituent of the pairs in common and “enemies” otherwise. For example, if n = 4, then S = {(1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4), (3, 4)}. Here, (1, 2) and (1, 3) are friends, (1, 2) and (2, 3) are also friends, but (1, 4) and (2, 3) are enemies.
For general n, consider any two members of S that are friends. How many other members of S will be common friends of both these members?
Answer the next 2 questions based on the information given below.
Cities A and B are in different time zones. A is located 3000 km east of B. The table below describes the schedule of an airline operating non-stop flights between A and B. All the times indicated are local and on the same day.
Assume that planes cruise at the same speed in both directions. However, the effective speed is influenced by a steady wind blowing from east to west at 50 km per hour.
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In a tournament, there are n teams T1 , T2 ....., Tn with n > 5. Each team consists of k players, k > 3. The following pairs of teams have one player in common:
T1 & T2 , T2 & T3 ,......, Tn − 1 & Tn , and Tn & T1.
No other pair of teams has any player in common. How many players are participating in the tournament, considering all the n teams together?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
An airline has a certain free luggage allowance and charges for excess luggage at a fixed rate per kg. Two passengers, Raja and Praja have 60 kg of luggage between them, and are charged Rs. 1200 and Rs. 2400 respectively for excess luggage. Had the entire luggage belonged to one of them, the excess luggage charge would have been Rs. 5400.
There are 6 tasks and 6 persons. Task 1 cannot be assigned either to person 1 or to person 2; task 2 must be assigned to either person 3 or person 4. Every person is to be assigned one task. In how many ways can the assignment be done?
In a chess competition involving some boys and girls of a school, every student had to play exactly one game with every other student. It was found that in 45 games both the players were girls, and in 190 games both were boys. The number of games in which one player was a boy and the other was a girl is
Answer the next 2 questions based on the information given below.
Ram and Shyam run a race between points A and B, 5 km apart. Ram starts at 9 a.m. from A at a speed of 5 km/hr, reaches B, and returns to A at the same speed. Shyam starts at 9:45 a.m. from A at a speed of 10 km/hr, reaches B and comes back to A at the same speed.
Let S be the set of five digit numbers formed by the digits 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, using each digit exactly once such that exactly two odd positions are occupied by odd digits. What is the sum of the digits in the rightmost position of the numbers in S?
N persons stand on the circumference of a circle at distinct points. Each possible pair of persons, not standing next to each other, sings a two-minute song one pair after the other. If the total time taken for singing is 28 minutes, what is N?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
In an examination, there are 100 questions divided into three groups A, B and C such that each group contains at least one question. Each question in group A carries 1 mark, each question in group B carries 2 marks and each question in group C carries 3 marks. It is known that the questions in group A together carry at least 60% of the total marks.
In the adjoining figure, the lines represent one-way roads allowing travel only northwards or only westwards. Along how many distinct routes can a car reach point B from point A?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
In an examination, there are 100 questions divided into three groups A, B and C such that each group contains at least one question. Each question in group A carries 1 mark, each question in group B carries 2 marks and each question in group C carries 3 marks. It is known that the questions in group A together carry at least 60% of the total marks.
A new flag is to be designed with six vertical stripes using some or all of the colours yellow, green, blue and red. Then, the number of ways this can be done such that no two adjacent stripes have the same colour is:
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
In an examination, there are 100 questions divided into three groups A, B and C such that each group contains at least one question. Each question in group A carries 1 mark, each question in group B carries 2 marks and each question in group C carries 3 marks. It is known that the questions in group A together carry at least 60% of the total marks.
Each question is followed by two statements, A and B. Answer each question using the following instructions
Choose 1 if the question can be answered by using one of the statements alone but not by using the other statement alone.
Choose 2 if the question can be answered by using either of the statements alone.
Choose 3 if the question can be answered by using both statements together but not by either statement alone.
Choose 4 if the question cannot be answered on the basis of the two statements.
Tarak is standing 2 steps to the left of a red mark and 3 steps to the right of a blue mark. He tosses a coin. If it comes up heads, he moves one step to the right; otherwise he moves one step to the left. He keeps doing this until he reaches one of the two marks, and then he stops. At which mark does he stop?
A. He stops after 21 coin tosses.
B. He obtains three more tails than heads.
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
A city has two perfectly circular and concentric ring roads, the outer ring road (OR) being twice as long as the inner ring road (IR). There are also four (straight line) chord roads from E1, the east end point of OR to N2, the north end point of IR; from N1, the north end point of OR to W2, the west end point of IR; from W1, the west end point of OR, to S2, the south end point of IR; and from S1, the south end point of OR to E2, the east endpoint of IR. Traffic moves at a constant speed of 30π km/hr on the OR road, 20π km/hr on the IR road, and km/hr on all the chord roads.
Twenty-seven persons attend a party. Which one of the following statements can never be true?
Each question is followed by two statements, A and B. Answer each question using the following instructions
Choose 1 if the question can be answered by using one of the statements alone but not by using the other statement alone.
Choose 2 if the question can be answered by using either of the statements alone.
Choose 3 if the question can be answered by using both statements together but not by either statement alone.
Choose 4 if the question cannot be answered on the basis of the two statements.
How many three digit positive integers, with digits x, y and z in the hundred's, ten's and unit's place respectively, exist such that x < y, z < y and x ≠ 0?
Each question is followed by two statements, A and B. Answer each question using the following instructions
Choose 1 if the question can be answered by using one of the statements alone but not by using the other statement alone.
Choose 2 if the question can be answered by using either of the statements alone.
Choose 3 if the question can be answered by using both statements together but not by either statement alone.
Choose 4 if the question cannot be answered on the basis of the two statements.
There are 6 boxes numbered 1, 2,..., 6. Each box is to be filled up either with a red or a green ball in such a way that at least 1 box contains a green ball and the boxes containing green balls are consecutively numbered. The total number of ways in which this can be done is
Each question is followed by two statements, A and B. Answer each question using the following instructions
Choose 1 if the question can be answered by using one of the statements alone but not by using the other statement alone.
Choose 2 if the question can be answered by using either of the statements alone.
Choose 3 if the question can be answered by using both statements together but not by either statement alone.
Choose 4 if the question cannot be answered on the basis of the two statements.
A graph may be defined as a set of points connected by lines called edges. Every edge connects a pair of points. Thus, a triangle is a graph with 3 edges and 3 points. The degree of a point is the number of edges connected to it. For example, a triangle is a graph with three points of degree 2 each. Consider a graph with 12 points. It is possible to reach any point from any other point through a sequence of edges. The number of edges, e, in the graph must satisfy the condition
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
A string of three English letters is formed as per the following rules:
- The first letter is any vowel.
- The second letter is m, n or p.
- If the second letter is m, then the third letter is any vowel which is different from the first letter.
- If the second letter is n, then the third letter is e or u.
- If the second letter is p, then the third letter is the same as the first letter.
There are 12 towns grouped into four zones with three towns per zone. It is intended to connect the towns with telephone lines such that every two towns are connected with three direct lines if they belong to the same zone, and with only one direct line otherwise. How many direct telephone lines are required?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
A string of three English letters is formed as per the following rules:
- The first letter is any vowel.
- The second letter is m, n or p.
- If the second letter is m, then the third letter is any vowel which is different from the first letter.
- If the second letter is n, then the third letter is e or u.
- If the second letter is p, then the third letter is the same as the first letter.
An intelligence agency forms a code of two distinct digits selected from 0, 1, 2, ... , 9 such that the first digit of the code is non-zero. The code, handwritten on a slip, can however potentially create confusion, when read upside down – for example, the code 91 may appear as 16. How many codes are there for which no such confusion can arise?
n1, n2, n3 ... n10 are 10 numbers such that n1 > 0 and the numbers are given in ascending order. How many triplets can be formed using these numbers such that in each triplet, the first number is less than the second number, and the second number is less than the third number?
Sum of first n natural numbers = S(n)
Sum given by student = 575
S(10) = 55
S(20) = 210
S(30) = 465
S(40) = 820
∴ The student stopped counting somewhere between 30 and 40.
Consider S(35) = 630
The student stopped somewhere before 35.
∴ S(31) = 496, S(32) = 528, S(33) = 561 and S(34) = 595
But the student gave 575 as the sum, so the student missed on the number 20.
Hence, option 4.
How many numbers between 0 and one million can be formed using 0, 7 and 8?
Sum of first n natural numbers = S(n)
Sum given by student = 575
S(10) = 55
S(20) = 210
S(30) = 465
S(40) = 820
∴ The student stopped counting somewhere between 30 and 40.
Consider S(35) = 630
The student stopped somewhere before 35.
∴ S(31) = 496, S(32) = 528, S(33) = 561 and S(34) = 595
But the student gave 575 as the sum, so the student missed on the number 20.
Hence, option 4.
In how many ways, we can choose a black and a white square on a chess board such that the two are not in the same row or column?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
There are 11 alphabets A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y. They are called symmetrical alphabets. The remaining alphabets are known as asymmetrical alphabets.
How many four-lettered passwords can be formed by using symmetrical letters only? (repetitions not allowed)
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
There are 11 alphabets A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y. They are called symmetrical alphabets. The remaining alphabets are known as asymmetrical alphabets.
How many three-lettered words can be formed such that at least one symmetrical letter is there?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
The batting average (BA) of a test batsman is computed from runs scored and innings played-completed innings and incomplete innings (not out) in the following manner:
r1 = number of runs scored in completed innings; n1 = number of completed innings
r2 = number of runs scored in incomplete innings; n2 = number of incomplete innings
BA =
To better assess batsman's accomplishments, the ICC is considering two other measures MBA1 and MBA2 defined as follows:
MBA1 =
MBA2 =
The figure below shows the network connecting cities A, B, C, D, E and F. The arrows indicate permissible direction of travel. What is the number of distinct paths from A to F?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
The batting average (BA) of a test batsman is computed from runs scored and innings played-completed innings and incomplete innings (not out) in the following manner:
r1 = number of runs scored in completed innings; n1 = number of completed innings
r2 = number of runs scored in incomplete innings; n2 = number of incomplete innings
BA =
To better assess batsman's accomplishments, the ICC is considering two other measures MBA1 and MBA2 defined as follows:
MBA1 =
MBA2 =
Let n be the number of different 5 digit numbers, divisible by 4 with the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, no digit being repeated in the numbers. What is the value of n?
One red flag, three white flags and two blue flags are arranged in a line such that,
(A) no two adjacent flags are of the same colour.
(B) the flags at the two ends of the line are of different colours.
In how many different ways can the flags be arranged?
Sam has forgotten his friend’s seven-digit telephone number. He remembers the following: the first three digits are either 635 or 674, the number is odd, and the number nine appears once. If Sam were to use a trial and error process to reach his friend, what is the minimum number of trials he has to make before he can be certain to succeed?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
Sixteen teams have been invited to participate in the ABC Gold Cup cricket tournament. The tournament is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the teams are divided into two groups. Each group consists of eight teams, with each team playing every other team in its group exactly once. At the end of the first stage, the top four teams from each group advance to the second stage while the rest are eliminated. The second stage comprises of several rounds. A round involves one match for each team. The winner of a match in a round advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated. The team that remains undefeated in the second stage is declared the winner and claims the Gold Cup.
The tournament rules are such that each match results in a winner and a loser with no possibility of a tie. In the first stage, a team earns one point for each win and no points for a loss. At the end of the first stage teams in each group are ranked on the basis of total points to determine the qualifiers advancing to the next stage. Ties are resolved by a series of complex tie-breaking rules so that exactly four teams from each group advance to the next stage.
There are three cities A, B and C, each of these cities is connected with the other two cities by at least one direct road. If a traveller wants to go from one city (origin) to another city (destination), she can do so either by traversing a road connecting the two cities directly, or by traversing two roads, the first connecting the origin to the third city and the second connecting the third city to the destination. In all there are 33 routes from A to B (including those via C). Similarly there are 23 routes from B to C (including those via A). How many roads are there from A to C directly?
Answer the following question based on the information given below.
Sixteen teams have been invited to participate in the ABC Gold Cup cricket tournament. The tournament is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the teams are divided into two groups. Each group consists of eight teams, with each team playing every other team in its group exactly once. At the end of the first stage, the top four teams from each group advance to the second stage while the rest are eliminated. The second stage comprises of several rounds. A round involves one match for each team. The winner of a match in a round advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated. The team that remains undefeated in the second stage is declared the winner and claims the Gold Cup.
The tournament rules are such that each match results in a winner and a loser with no possibility of a tie. In the first stage, a team earns one point for each win and no points for a loss. At the end of the first stage teams in each group are ranked on the basis of total points to determine the qualifiers advancing to the next stage. Ties are resolved by a series of complex tie-breaking rules so that exactly four teams from each group advance to the next stage.
ABCDEFGH is a regular octagon. A and E are opposite vertices of the octagon. A frog starts jumping from vertex to vertex, beginning from A. From any vertex of the octagon except E, it may jump to either of the two adjacent vertices. When it reaches E, the frog stops and stays there. Let an be the number of distinct paths of exactly n jumps ending in E. Then what is the value of a2n – 1?
Ten points are marked on a straight-line and 11 points are marked on another straight-line. How many triangles can be constructed with vertices from among the above points?
For a scholarship, at the most n candidates out of 2n + 1 can be selected. If the number of different ways of selection of at least one candidate is 63, the maximum number of candidates that can be selected for the scholarship is
âââââââDirection: Answer the questions based on the following information.
Production pattern for number of units (in cubic feet) per day.
For a truck that can carry 2,000 cubic ft, hiring cost per day is Rs. 1,000. Storing cost per cubic feet is Rs. 5 per day.
How many numbers can be formed from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, without repetition, when the digit at the unit’s place must be greater than that in the ten’s place?
Direction: Answer the question based on the following information.
A, B, C and D collected one-rupee coins following the given pattern.
- Together they collected 100 coins.
- Each one of them collected even number of coins.
- Each one of them collected at least 10 coins.
- No two of them collected the same number of coins.
How many five-digit numbers can be formed using the digits 2, 3, 8, 7, 5 exactly once such that the number is divisible by 125?
Answer the next 3 questions based on the following information.
There are 60 students in a class. These students are divided into three groups A, B and C of 15, 20 and 25 students each. The groups A and C are combined to form group D.
In how many ways can eight directors, the vice chairman and chairman of a firm be seated at a round table, if the chairman has to sit between the vice chairman and a director?
Direction: Answer the questions based on the following information.
A salesman enters the quantity sold and the price into the computer. Both the numbers are two-digit numbers. But, by mistake, both the numbers were entered with their digits interchanged. The total sales value remained the same, i.e. Rs. 1,148, but the inventory reduced by 54.
A man has 9 friends: 4 boys and 5 girls. In how many ways can he invite them, if there have to be exactly 3 girls in the invitees?
Direction: Answer the questions based on the following information.
Four sisters — Suvarna, Tara, Uma and Vibha are playing a game such that the loser doubles the money of each of the other players from her share. They played four games and each sister lost one game in alphabetical order. At the end of fourth game, each sister had Rs.32.
Boxes numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are kept in a row, and they are to be filled with either a red or a blue ball, such that no two adjacent boxes can be filled with blue balls. Then how many different arrangements are possible, given that all balls of a given colour are exactly identical in all respects?
An intelligence agency decides on a code of 2 digits selected from 0, 1, 2, …. , 9. But the slip on which the code is hand–written allows confusion between top and bottom, because these are indistinguishable. Thus, for example, the code 91 could be confused with 16. How many codes are there such that there is no possibility of any confusion?
Four cities are connected by a road network as shown in the figure. In how many ways can you start from any city and come back to it without travelling on the same road more than once?
Answer the next 2 questions based on the information given below:
A function f(x) is said to be even if f(–x) = f(x), and odd if f(–x) = –f(x). Thus, for example, the function given by f(x) = x2 is even, while the function given by f(x) = x3 is odd. Using this definition, answer the following questions.
A five digit number is formed using digits 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 without repeating any one of them. What is the sum of all such possible numbers?
The following functions have been defined for three numbers A, B and C:
@ (A, B) = average of A and B
*(A, B) = product of A and B
/(A, B) = A divided by B
Answer these questions with the above data.
A young girl counted in the following way on the fingers of her left hand. She started calling the thumb 1, the index finger 2, middle finger 3, ring finger 4, little finger 5, then reversed direction, calling the ring finger 6, middle finger 7, index finger 8, thumb 9, then back to the index finger for 10, middle finger for 11, and so on. She counted up to 1994. She ended on her.
Use the following information:
Prakash has to decide whether or not to test a batch of 1000 widgets before sending them to the buyer. In case he decides to test, he has two options: (a) Use test I ; (b) Use test II. Test I cost Rs. 2 per widget. However, the test is not perfect. It sends 20% of the bad ones to the buyer as good. Test II costs Rs. 3 per widget. It brings out all the bad ones. A defective widget identified before sending can be corrected at a cost of Rs. 25 per widget. All defective widgets are identified at the buyer’s end and penalty of Rs. 50 per defective widget has to be paid by Prakash.
How many 3-digit even numbers can you form such that if one of the digits is 5 then the following digit must be 7?
Use the following information:
Prakash has to decide whether or not to test a batch of 1000 widgets before sending them to the buyer. In case he decides to test, he has two options: (a) Use test I ; (b) Use test II. Test I cost Rs. 2 per widget. However, the test is not perfect. It sends 20% of the bad ones to the buyer as good. Test II costs Rs. 3 per widget. It brings out all the bad ones. A defective widget identified before sending can be corrected at a cost of Rs. 25 per widget. All defective widgets are identified at the buyer’s end and penalty of Rs. 50 per defective widget has to be paid by Prakash.
What is the total number of ways to reach A to B in the network given?
