Now ask, “Does the outcome of each stage differ from the outcomes of the other stages?” We’ll take the task of “building” election results, and we’ll break it into individual stages: If the answer to this question is NO, we cannot solve the question using the FCP and, in most cases, we can use combinations. If the answer to this question is YES, then we can continue solving the question using the FCP. At that point, we should ask, “Does the outcome of each stage differ from the outcomes of the other stages?” When we apply the FCP, we first take a certain task and break it into stages. If you’re not familiar with it, please watch this video. Fortunately, the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP) can help.Īside: I’m going to assume that you’re familiar with the FCP. The problem is that it’s not 100% clear what we’re asking when we ask, “Does order matter?” The issue becomes even more muddled when we tackle difficult, multi-step questions. Since these results are identical, we can safely conclude that order does not matter, which means that we can use combinations, right? Results #2: Bob is elected Treasurer, and Ann is elected President. Results #1: Ann is elected President, and Bob is elected Treasurer. Some students might answer “No” to this question. In how many ways can we elect a President and Treasurer, if no student can hold both positions?ĭoes the order of the selected students matter? Second, the question “Does order matter?” can have unintended results. First, as I already noted in that previous article, true permutation questions are rare on the GMAT. Unfortunately, the “Does order matter” question is not without its problems. The premise is that we use permutations when order matters, and we use combinations when order does not matter. In a recent article, I discussed my concern regarding the term “permutation.” In this article, I’ll discuss my concern regarding the question, “Does order matter?” People often use this question to help determine whether to use permutations or combinations.
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