Microsoft KB Archive/42614

Excel Function Macro to Calculate Permutation PSS ID Number: Q42614 Article last modified on 07-23-1993 PSS database name: W_eXceL

2.00 2.01 2.10 3.00

WINDOWS

Summary:

The following macro calculates the permutation of a given number of items for a given distribution:

A1: Permutation A2: =ARGUMENT(“items”) A3: =ARGUMENT(“order”) A4: =FACT(items) A5: =FACT(items-order) A6: =A4/A5 A7: =RETURN(A6)

A permutation is a mathematical method of finding the maximum number of ways that a number of items can be placed into a distribution. The main difference between a permutation and a combination is that with a permutation, the order of the items placed in the distribution matters.

Therefore, if you are at the race track and you want to know the total number of ways that five horses can come in first, second, or third, you would find the permutation of five items taken three ways (which equals 60).

This functionality is included in Microsoft Excel 4.0. The macro above is not needed in versions 4.0 of Microsoft Excel. The function and arguments are as follows:

PERMUT(number,number_chosen)

Additional reference words: 2.0 2.00 2.01 2.1 2.10 3.0 3.00

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.