Re: Year 12 Mathematics 3 Unit Cambridge Question & Answer Thread
If N is to the left of U, the answers must all be in the form ____N____U____, where the underscores represent places the remaining four letters can go. So:
Consider _N_U_, where we are trying to insert M. There are 3 places for it to go.
Now consider what will be left, we have: _N_U_M_, or _N_M_U_, or _M_N_U_. Regradless of where we place the M, there are four places for the next letter.
Following this, wherever we place the next letter will take away one available space, but create two either side of it, netting one more. So for M there are 3, for B there are 4, for E there are 5, and for R there are 6.
Doing it this way gives an answer of 3*4*5*6=360, and with this method we cover the event of placing the letters down in different orders.