Combin
What Does it Do?
This function calculates the highest number of combinations available based upon a fixed number of items. The internal order of the combination does not matter, so AB is the same as BA.
Syntax
=COMBIN(HowManyItems,GroupSize) Formatting No special formatting is required.
This function calculates the highest number of combinations available based upon a fixed number of items. The internal order of the combination does not matter, so AB is the same as BA.
Syntax
=COMBIN(HowManyItems,GroupSize) Formatting No special formatting is required.
| Pool Of Items | Items In A Group | Possible Groups | |
| 4 | 2 | 6 | =COMBIN(C4,D4) |
| 4 | 3 | 4 | =COMBIN(C5,D5) |
| 26 | 2 | 325 | =COMBIN(C6,D6) |
Example 1:
This example calculates the possible number of pairs of letters available from the four characters ABCD.
| Total Characters | Group Size | Combinations | |
| 4 | 2 | 6 | =COMBIN (C25,D25) |
| The proof ! | The four letters : | ABCD |
| Pair 1 | AB | |
| Pair 2 | AC | |
| Pair 3 | AD | |
| Pair 4 | BC | |
| Pair 5 | BD | |
| Pair 6 | CD |
Example 1:
A decorator is asked to design a colour scheme for a new office. The decorator is given five colours to work with, but can only use three in any scheme.
How many colours schemes can be created ?
| Available Colours | Colours Per Scheme | Totals Schemes | |
| 5 | 3 | 10 | =COMBIN (C41,D41) |
| The colours |
| Red |
| Green |
| Blue |
| Yellow |
| Black |
| Sch 1 | Sch 2 | Sch 3 | Sch 4 | Sch 5 |
| Red | Red | Red | Red | Red |
| Green | Green | Green | Blue | Blue |
| Blue | Yellow | Black | Yellow | Black |
| Sch 6 | Sch 7 | Sch 8 | Sch 9 | Sch 10 |
| Green | Green | Green | Blue | ?????? |
| Blue | Blue | Yellow | Yellow | |
| Yellow | Black | Black | Black |