Math Formula Wanted
Dec 15, 2020 09:41:41 #
Let's say a product is available with the following choices:
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
Dec 15, 2020 09:43:54 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Let's say a product is available with the following choices:
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
4x3x4x2 = 96 ?
Dec 15, 2020 09:47:56 #
repleo wrote:
4x3x4x2 = 96 ?
Thanks! That was my first guess, but it seemed too simple.
Dec 15, 2020 09:58:02 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Thanks! That was my first guess, but it seemed too simple.
It is pretty simple. A couple of years ago I ordered a kayak. I could pick the hull color, deck color and the trim color. There were 216 colors to choose from, over 10 million possible choices.
Dec 15, 2020 10:02:19 #
repleo wrote:
4x3x4x2 = 96 ?
No ?, that is correct
To be precise, that is the solution, the formula is:
# shapes x # body colors x # trim colors x # sizes = number of variations.
Simply substitute the numbers for each element and that will equal the number of variations.
Dec 15, 2020 10:04:12 #
Dec 15, 2020 11:11:57 #
There is a name for that kind of math permutation possibility but I can't remember the name. Does any one remember?
Dec 15, 2020 12:02:38 #
boberic wrote:
There is a name for that kind of math permutation possibility but I can't remember the name. Does any one remember?
Factorial. To the best of my somewhat faulty memory of high school math.
Dec 15, 2020 14:42:13 #
It is not factorial. Factorial is written as x! which is defined to be x * (x-1) * (x-2) . . . * 1
Dec 15, 2020 14:44:18 #
Technically, this is a combination. A permutation is when the order matters.
Dec 15, 2020 17:11:16 #
repleo wrote:
4x3x4x2 = 96 ?
I agree. The result would be the basis of mathematical combinations. We could take one shape at each of the three colors. The we can have each shape with a color and one of the trims or no trim options in the mix of the total quantity. Then of course this entire selection is repeated for the other size option.
Dec 15, 2020 20:07:33 #
Vienna74 wrote:
Technically, this is a combination. A permutation is when the order matters.
Right answer.
Dec 16, 2020 05:41:21 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Let's say a product is available with the following choices:
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
4 shapes
3 body colors
4 trim colors
2 sizes
What formula would tell me how many variations are possible?
My guess is 4! x 3! x 4! x 2! = 6,912 combinations.
I did send this question to a friend who graduated from M.I.T. with a masters in math. Just waiting to hear back from him
Dec 16, 2020 06:42:53 #
paulrph1
Loc: Washington, Utah
Here is one my imagination deals with and that is the combinations of license plate numbers. letters and numbers combined. X97 B12 with all the numbers available how would you calculate the numbers of possibilities.
Dec 16, 2020 07:08:59 #
srscary
Loc: Cary, NC
boberic wrote:
There is a name for that kind of math permutation possibility but I can't remember the name. Does any one remember?
Combinatorics.
Not my favorite subject (difficult)!
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