Combinatorial proof of <msubsup> P r <mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"> n

cyfwelestoi

cyfwelestoi

Answered question

2022-05-23

Combinatorial proof of P r n + 1 = r ! + r ( P r 1 n + P r 1 n 1 + + P r 1 r ), where P r n denotes the number of r- permutations of an n element set.

Answer & Explanation

HTMW7C0a

HTMW7C0a

Beginner2022-05-24Added 8 answers

Step 1
The LHS denotes the number of r permutations of a n + 1 element set. P r n + 1 = ( n + 1 r ) r ! so we can view that as the total number of total orderings on r element subsets of an n + 1 element set.
On the RHS, r ! = r ( r 1 ) ! = r ( r 1 r 1 ) ( r 1 ) ! = r P r 1 r 1 , so we can rewrite the RHS as:
r ! + ( P r 1 n + P r 1 n 1 + P r 1 r ) = r k = r 1 n P r 1 k = r k = r 1 n ( k r 1 ) ( r 1 ) ! = r ! k = r 1 n ( k r 1 ) .
Step 2
Now, ( k r 1 ) can represent the number of ways to choose a subset of r elements of a set { 1 , 2 , , n + 1 } with the greatest element k + 1. Hence, k = r 1 n ( k r 1 ) = ( n + 1 r ) . So, the RHS is r ! ( n + 1 k ) ,, but I don't like converting P r n to ( n r ) r ! .. Is there any more illustrative and elegant way?
Alaina Marshall

Alaina Marshall

Beginner2022-05-25Added 5 answers

Step 1
P r n + 1 is the number of ways to make an ordered selection of r items from { 1 , 2 , , n + 1 }.
Step 2
For each k { r 1 , r , , n }, on the other hand, r P r 1 k is the number of such selections where the largest selected element is k + 1. Indeed, there are r places to place k + 1, and then P r 1 k ways to fill the other r 1 spots with elements from { 1 , , k }.
Summing over all such k, the identity P r n + 1 = r k = r 1 n P r 1 k follows.

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