FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

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In permutations, what does 'n' represent?

The total number of items
The selected number of items
The number of ways to arrange items
The average of items

The correct answer is: The total number of items

The correct answer is that 'n' represents the total number of items. In the context of permutations, 'n' is used to denote the total set from which selections are being made. This notation is critical because permutations are concerned with the arrangement of all or some of these items. Permutations are calculated based on the total number of items available to arrange. For example, if you have five distinct books, 'n' would be 5, as it indicates the total books that can be arranged in various orders. The other answer choices pertain to different concepts: the selected number of items usually refers to 'r,' which indicates how many of the total 'n' items are being chosen for arrangement. The number of ways to arrange items, while related to permutations, isn't what 'n' represents but rather a result of applying the permutation formula. Lastly, the average of items is a statistical term unrelated to permutations or the 'n' notation.